---
reference_key: gao-water
title: "GAO-26-109159 --- Water Sector Cybersecurity"
url: "https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-109159"
availability: available
capture_method: corroborating_press
captured_at: 2026-06-23T03:30:58Z
document_id: REF-gao-water
---

# GAO-26-109159 --- Water Sector Cybersecurity

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Reference key** | `gao-water` |
| **Availability** | AVAILABLE |
| **Capture method** | `corroborating_press` |
| **Source type** | remote_url |
| **URL / path** | https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-109159 |
| **Captured (UTC)** | 2026-06-23T03:30:58Z |
| **Content type** | text/html; charset=utf-8 |
| **HTTP status** | 200 |

## Boardroom Citation Context

GOV-07 water/OT authority gaps.

## Source Location

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-109159


## Capture Provenance

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Capture method** | `corroborating_press` |
| **Primary URL** | https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-109159 |
| **Primary result** | unavailable |
| **Fallback URL** | https://www.route-fifty.com/cybersecurity/2026/02/gao-finds-gaps-water-sector-cybersecurity/402456/ |

Primary gao.gov product page and PDF return HTTP 403 to automated clients. Route Fifty published a summary of GAO-26-109159 water-sector cybersecurity gaps.

**Primary failure:** HTTP 403: Forbidden. Remote server rejected automated retrieval.




## Captured Content

```text
AI could help mitigate lithium battery fires, study finds - Route Fifty Connecting state and local government leaders Continue to the site Continue to the site Skip to Content Notice at Collection Your Privacy Choices Exercise Your Privacy Rights State leaders renew call for cyber grant programs renewal Education leader proposes stronger restrictions on AI and screentime Israeli researchers link Iran government to LA Metro cyberattack Data center moratoriums gain ground in states and cities sponsor content The platform federal agencies trust: How Adobe Connect expands security for mission readiness and workforce transformation sponsor content Transforming State and Local Government: From Manual Triage to Agentic Defense with Google SecOps State leaders renew call for cyber grant programs renewal Education leader proposes stronger restrictions on AI and screentime Israeli researchers link Iran government to LA Metro cyberattack Data center moratoriums gain ground in states and cities sponsor content The platform federal agencies trust: How Adobe Connect expands security for mission readiness and workforce transformation sponsor content Transforming State and Local Government: From Manual Triage to Agentic Defense with Google SecOps Subscribe Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Digital Government Emerging Tech Customer Experience Public Safety People Events More Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Digital Government Emerging Tech Customer Experience Public Safety People Topics Artificial Intelligence State and Federal Relations Cybersecurity State Government See all  Events About Leadership Voices Insights Contact Advertise Subscribe Notice at Collection Your Privacy Choices Exercise Your Privacy Rights must be on same line --> Trending Future Nation Climate Broadband Public Safety Human Services State leaders renew call for cyber grant programs renewal Education leader proposes stronger restrictions on AI and screentime Israeli researchers link Iran government to LA Metro cyberattack Data center moratoriums gain ground in states and cities [SPONSORED] The platform federal agencies trust: How Adobe Connect expands security for mission readiness and workforce transformation [SPONSORED] Transforming State and Local Government: From Manual Triage to Agentic Defense with Google SecOps AI could help mitigate lithium battery fires, study finds Fire officials and others gather outside of a Bronx supermarket the day after a fire tore through a market that fire officials are blaming on a faulty lithium-ion battery on March 6, 2023, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Sign up for Route Fifty Today Your daily read on state and local government email Register for Newsletter Featured eBooks Insights & Reports Transforming State and Local Government: From Manual Triage to Agentic Defense with Google SecOps Presented By Google Public Sector Download Now Beyond copilots: What agentic AI means for the federal workforce Presented By Microsoft | Carahsoft Download Now By Kaitlyn Levinson , Reporter, Route Fifty By Kaitlyn Levinson | January 23, 2025 Researchers have developed an algorithm that can detect when a lithium battery begins to overheat, which they say can help inform public safety efforts to mitigate fires. Artificial intelligence Public Safety First Responders Lithium-ion batteries, lauded for their long lifespans, low maintenance needs and fast charging, have gained popularity in recent years, as they are increasingly used in electric vehicles, cell phones and micromobility devices like electric scooters. But as the batterys use increases, so do its fire and safety risks. Last week in Moss Landing, California, --- a city about 100 miles south of San Francisco --- a fire broke out at the battery storage facility Vistra, where thousands of lithium-ion batteries were being kept. The fire was contained, but an estimated 1,500 residents had to evacuate the area, and some people have since reported experiencing health issues like headaches and sore throats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency earlier this week deemed the area safe from harmful air contaminants, but Moss Landings brush with a lithium fire underscored the growing public safety concerns of the batteries. Related articles Deadly fires from phone, scooter batteries leave lawmakers playing catch-up on safety Billions in US funding boosts lithium mining, stressing water supplies Why Many Fire Departments Arent Ready for Electric Vehicles E-bike Battery Fire Spike Spurs NYC Council to Rethink Regulation Fighting tech with tech could help keep lithium-ion batteries under control, a study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology suggests. Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence model that can identify the early stages of a lithium-ion battery fire --- the moment when a safety valve in the batterys hard casing breaks to release pressure from the swelling battery cell. This is a way to use advanced technology to reduce the risks of not only fires occurring, but also of injuries, loss of life and property damage from these devices in the future by using this novel detection method, said Anthony Putorti, fire protection engineer at NISTs Fire Research Division. Once broken, the batterys safety valve produces a hissing sound, which researchers used to train a machine learning model to develop an early warning detection system that could alert users of a potential fire, according to Wai Cheong Tam, a mechanical engineer for NISTs Fire Research Division. The algorithm was able to detect the valve sound 94% of the time. The findings could help inform future public safety resources and operations aimed at curbing lithium-ion battery fires and explosions, such as modernized fire alarm systems or safer building codes, Purtoti said. Several lawmakers have moved to implement safer lithium-ion battery practices in recent years, including a proposed bill in Illinois that would prohibit the disposal of the batteries in mixed-recycling bins. At the local level, New York City, which saw 18 deaths and 150 injuries caused by lithium-ion battery fires in 2023, started restricting the sale of mobility devices and storage batteries that do not meet certain safety standards that same year. A garage used for storing an electric vehicle fleet, for instance, could be connected to a smart system that detects the sound of the batterys valve breaking and alerts vehicle users or building occupants of an at-risk battery, Tam said. There is typically a two- to three-minute window between the safety valves breakage and ignition, during which the batterys temperature skyrockets, reaching as high as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, as the device continues to release smoke and flames, he explained. That brief window of time is crucial, because lithium-ion battery fires burn much hotter and faster than traditional fires, Tam said. In less than 30 seconds, an entire room can be engulfed in the batterys flames, while a traditional fire could take five to 15 minutes to take over a room. When it comes to getting first responders to the scene quicker to manage a fire and get people to safety, earlier detection becomes a lot more important, Tam said. NISTs research is still in its early stages, with further experiments needed, he said, but the findings offer actionable information for officials to address the burgeoning risks of lithium-ion batteries. Share This: NEXT STORY: New research: Done right, virtual tutoring nearly rivals in-person version State leaders renew call for cyber grant programs renewal Education leader proposes stronger restrictions on AI and screentime Israeli researchers link Iran government to LA Metro cyberattack Data center moratoriums gain ground in states and cities Report shows steady, yet uneven, AI adoption across US sponsor content Beyond black box AI: A better approach to legal data intelligence State leaders renew call for cyber grant programs renewal Education leader proposes stronger restrictions on AI and screentime Israeli researchers link Iran government to LA Metro cyberattack Data center moratoriums gain ground in states and cities Report shows steady, yet uneven, AI adoption across US sponsor content Beyond black box AI: A better approach to legal data intelligence  Sign up for our daily newsletter: --select-- Department of Defense (Civilian) Department of Defense (Military) Federal Government State/Local Government Government Contractor Private Sector Retired Submit  Almost There! 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*Archived reference article for AICSR-STUDY-2026-001 footnote corpus.*
