What happens when a water utility loses access to its control systems—and who still knows how to operate manually?

Dr. Kevin Morley of 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.

Joining hosts Isaac Alatorre and Jim Wollbrinck for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, they discuss cybersecurity fundamentals, emergency exercises, retiring operators, and the practical questions utilities should ask before adopting AI.

The conversation explores:
• Cyber threats and the operational consequences of compromised control systems
• Manual operations and preserving institutional knowledge
• Connecting risk assessments with emergency response actions
• AI governance, realistic expectations, and data ownership
• Cybersecurity requirements in procurement and contracts
• Emerging concerns involving data centers, equipment availability, and drones
• Training opportunities and collaboration across the water sector

Kevin brings a national water-sector perspective, while Cris shares the realities of leading technology services at a water agency.

A practical discussion for utility operators, supervisors, IT teams, emergency managers, and decision-makers.

Watch video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_XKpd9ibDKc