San Antonio launch kicks off Texas water cybersecurity pilot

How it works: Project Watershed 250 will connect Texas water utilities with U.S. cybersecurity companies to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen their defenses during a six-month pilot.

• Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare and other companies are providing services.
• The EPA and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are federal partners, while Texas Cyber Command will oversee implementation.

Zoom in: Texas Cyber Command is based at UT San Antonio's downtown San Pedro I campus.

• The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) tells Axios it's interested in learning more about the program but says the potential role of individual utilities is still in development.
• SAWS CEO Robert Puente told KXAN that smaller water systems can be particularly vulnerable because they lack the resources of larger utilities like SAWS.

What they're saying: "Texas is under perpetual cyberattacks, including cyberattacks on our water systems," Gov. Greg Abbott said during the San Antonio launch. "The need for cyber resilience is overwhelming."

What to watch: National cyber director Sean Cairncross said lessons from the Texas pilot will inform potential expansions to other states and rural communities.