Water Utility Cybersecurity & AI: Are You Ready? | Kevin Morley & Cris Perez

Could your water utility keep operating if SCADA went down? And as AI enters utility workflows, are the right safeguards in place? Dr. Kevin Morley of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Cris Perez of Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency return to the Utility Emergency Response Podcast after appearing in our most-downloaded episode last year. Hosts Isaac Alatorre and Jim Wollbrinck bring them together for a Cybersecurity Awareness Month conversation connecting national water-sector concerns with everyday utility operations. 💧 WHAT WE COVER • Cyber threats and exposed utility control systems • Manual operations when SCADA is unavailable • Retiring operators and preserving institutional knowledge • Turning risk assessments into emergency readiness • What AI can—and cannot—fix • AI governance, data ownership, and human oversight • Cybersecurity expectations in equipment and service contracts • Data centers, equipment availability, and emerging physical-security concerns • Training, exercises, and collaboration across the water sector 🎙️ OUR GUESTS Dr. Kevin Morley — Manager of Federal Relations, AWWA Cris Perez — Director of Technology Services, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Hosted by Isaac Alatorre and Jim Wollbrinck. 🕒 CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Kevin Morley and Cris Perez 02:30 Welcome Back and Cybersecurity Awareness Month 03:55 What Has Changed in Water Utility Cybersecurity? 05:00 Data Centers, AI, and Water Demand 07:26 Exposed PLCs and Operational Disruption 09:40 AI Adoption and the Need for Policies 13:40 AI Governance, Guardrails, and Third-Party Risk 16:52 Risk Assessments and Emergency Readiness 19:58 Could Your Utility Operate Without SCADA? 27:21 Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Board Oversight 32:10 What AI Can—and Cannot—Fix 33:44 AI Productivity: Hype vs. Practical Benefits 38:17 Enterprise AI, Data Ownership, and Governance 41:50 Public Records Requests and Sensitive Utility Data 43:27 AI Errors, Human Oversight, and Operational Decisions 47:44 Smart Equipment and Cybersecurity in Procurement 51:32 Emerging Risks: Equipment Supply and Drones 57:59 Cybersecurity Training and Upcoming Conferences 1:02:19 Emergency Exercise Discussion 1:03:25 Microsoft Teams in the Emergency Operations Center 1:05:10 A Cybersecurity Pilot to Watch 1:06:08 Colorado River Discussion 1:07:59 Closing and Guest Connections 💬 What would be your utility’s biggest challenge if it had to operate manually? Share your thoughts below—please keep sensitive operational details private. Subscribe to the Utility Emergency Response Podcast for practical conversations about keeping essential services operating through emergencies. Learn more about Portable Pipeline Systems: https://portablepipelinesystem.com #WaterUtilities #Cybersecurity #EmergencyPreparedness