City of Oldsmar Water Facility

The City of Oldsmar Water Facility, also known as the Oldsmar Water Treatment Plant, is a municipal water utility located in Oldsmar, Florida, United States of America. Its primary function is to treat raw water to produce safe drinking water for the residential and commercial customers served by the City of Oldsmar. The facility employs standard water treatment processes such as coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet state and federal drinking water standards. Chemical additives, including sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment, are used as part of the treatment regimen. The plant operates continuously to ensure a reliable supply of potable water to the community.

In February 2021, the facility experienced a cybersecurity incident when unauthorized actors gained remote access to its control system via TeamViewer and attempted to increase the concentration of sodium hydroxide in the water supply. An employee observed the anomalous activity in real time, enabling staff to reverse the command before any harmful levels were reached. The incident prompted investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service, underscoring the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats. Although the plant’s redundant safety controls would have prevented hazardous contamination even without operator intervention, the event highlighted the need for heightened cybersecurity vigilance in water utilities. The Oldsmar Water Facility remains owned and operated by the City of Oldsmar, functioning as a public utility under municipal governance.