Michigan reports nine water system cyberattacks, says operations remain safe

Michigan announced Saturday that nine water systems had been targeted by cyberattacks, though state officials said the facilities remained operational and posed no public-health risk. The incidents were identified after a federal cyber alert warned of attempts to tamper with operational technology at water utilities.

"All systems continued to operate safely, issues were addressed by local operators, and there are no known impacts that posed a public health concern," said Dale George, director of communications for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

The attacks follow earlier reports that more than 30 water systems in Minnesota were compromised. Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, have issued advisories linking the activity to Iranian hacking groups, though no perpetrator has been publicly confirmed.

"The FBI is aware of recent public reporting around Water and Wastewater (WWS) sectors," the FBI said in a statement, adding that the bureau and its partners are engaged in protecting critical infrastructure.

In Minnesota, authorities clarified that the confirmed incidents involved remote monitoring and control technology, and that most communities did not experience service disruptions. A brief outage in Braham, Minn., prompted a temporary request for reduced water use, while Plymouth restored its communications by Tuesday afternoon.

The situation has drawn political attention, with President Donald Trump attributing the Minnesota attacks to state officials without presenting evidence, a claim that Governor Tim Walz disputed on social media.