Jacobs has secured an operational technology (OT) cybersecurity contract with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD). This agreement covers comprehensive cybersecurity measures for industrial control systems and physical infrastructure, ensuring the safe and secure treatment of wastewater for 1.9 million residents in southeast Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
HRSD values the contract at $13.4 million, making it one of the largest OT cybersecurity services contracts awarded by a U.S. wastewater utility.
"During the past 18 months, cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure, particularly in the water sector, have surged significantly, demanding digital expertise that intersects physical asset infrastructure and operational technology cybersecurity," said Jacobs Executive Vice President Amer Battikhi. "Jacobs is uniquely positioned to support our clients with our domain knowledge in industrial environments such as water, advanced manufacturing and energy & power, coupled with specialized OT cyber capabilities to defend physical infrastructure and devices."
HRSD values the contract at $13.4 million, making it one of the largest OT cybersecurity services contracts awarded by a U.S. wastewater utility
"At HRSD, our objective is to enhance our cybersecurity posture to the highest feasible level, proactively addressing evolving threats both now and in the future," said HRSD Chief Information Security Officer Roger Caslow. "Cyber resiliency is both our strategy and our goal. Our mission is to establish HRSD as the benchmark for cybersecurity excellence within the water and wastewater sector, ensuring the protection of critical services that safeguard public health and the environment. Our collaboration with Jacobs is a key element to achieving this vision."
The contract includes cybersecurity assessments across more than 30 square miles of wastewater infrastructure in the Hampton Roads corridor. It also involves the design and integration of cybersecurity controls, advanced OT solutions, continuous cybersecurity monitoring, and network engineering. These efforts will help HRSD maintain a cutting-edge OT network capable of defending against sophisticated cyber threats.
