Trump Administration Launches Project Watershed 250 in Texas

The Trump administration and Texas state officials launched Project Watershed 250 on August 31 in San Antonio. This six-month pilot program provides water and wastewater utilities in Texas with free cybersecurity resources, artificial intelligence tools, and expertise to defend against threats from hostile foreign nations, including China, Iran, and Russia.

Coordinated by the Texas Cyber Command, the initiative targets rural providers that lack dedicated security staff and funding. The program utilizes red teaming, vulnerability assessments, and system hardening to identify and fix weaknesses. Federal partners include the Environmental Protection Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, while private-sector partners include Microsoft, Reflection AI, Palo Alto Networks, and Dragos Inc.

While White House officials stated the program is not a direct response to recent attacks on Minnesota water systems, they noted those incidents highlighted the need for modernization. The administration intends to use the Texas pilot to create a repeatable playbook that can be scaled to secure small water providers nationwide.