City/Town of Poughkeepsie failed to meet water system reporting for cyber security

POUGHKEEPSIE – The State Health Department has used the City/Town of Poughkeepsie Water System two violations for not reporting required analysis of vulnerability to cyber-attack.

A Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority bulletin issued Friday said the state sanitary code requires certain water systems to develop and keep up to date water supply emergency plans which includes an analysis of vulnerability to cyber-attack.

Those plans must be submitted to the State Health Department for review and approval at least once every five years.

The joint Poughkeepsie system was issued a violation on July 20, 2022 for not submitting an analysis of vulnerability and a second violation for not taking the required corrective actions on January 10 of this year.

Authority officials said this is not an emergency and that the  analysis was completed and filed with the county health department on January 19 and the State health Department closed out the violation on January 24.

County officials said water users may continue to drink the water as water quality has not been impacted and there is no need to boil water or take any other corrective actions.