June 20, 2026 - Sacramento, Calif. - Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) has issued the following statement in response 
to reported cyber threats against water systems in Bakersfield and other Central Valley communities by an Iran-linked hacker group:
“The reported threat against Bakersfield and other Central Valley water systems must be taken seriously. When a foreign-linked hacker group claims it could have cut off water to American cities, it is not just a local concern — it is a national security warning.
California Water Service has confirmed that no critical water production or delivery services were disrupted, but this incident should serve as a wakeup call. The systems reportedly compromised are also used to map infrastructure, identify leaks and generate data that can support future capital investment decisions. If the integrity of that data cannot be confirmed, ratepayers and regulators have a right to ask hard questions.
I will be asking the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to assess the full technical scope of this incident, determine whether infrastructure or leak-detection data may have been altered, and provide clear guidance to strengthen protections for local water systems.
Water security is national security. The Central Valley produces roughly one-quarter of the nation’s food, and protecting the systems that deliver water to families, farms and communities is essential to protecting America.
Cybersecurity is not a new concern. In 2022, I authored SB 892, the Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, which was signed into law to strengthen California’s ability to prevent and respond to cyber threats targeting the water, agriculture, food and wastewater sectors.
California must continue to invest in the resources, protections, and coordination needed to keep our critical infrastructure secure and our communities safe.”
Senator Melissa Hurtado is Chair of Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 on State Administration and General Government and currently represents the 16th Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties.
Source: Senator Melissa Hurtado
