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Hackers Change Chemical Levels In Florida Water Treatment Facility

(Screenshot via YouTube)

Michael Ginsberg Congressional Correspondent
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Hackers penetrated the computer system of the water treatment facility serving Oldsmar, Florida, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office announced on Feb. 8.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told reporters that hackers gained access to the Oldsmar Water Treatment Facility’s computer system multiple times on Feb. 5. The computer operator who noticed the first breach thought that it was a supervisor accessing the computer system remotely, Gualtieri said. When the computer was accessed the second time, the hacker opened applications that allow the treatment facility’s managers to monitor and adjust the chemical properties of the water in the plant.

The hackers raised the amount of sodium hydroxide, or lye, from 100 parts per million in the water to 11,100 parts per million. Lye, a key ingredient in soaps and drain cleaners, is used to remove heavy metals from the water and control acidity, Gualtieri explained. The water treatment facility employee immediately noticed the change in the level of lye in the water and changed it back to the correct level. Since the level of lye did not change, the consumers were not in danger, Gualtieri told reporters. Water in the plant takes between 24 and 36 hours to circulate into the public water supply. (RELATED: EPA Reports ANOTHER Mine Waste Spill At Gold King Mine)

The FBI and Secret Service are working in conjunction with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the hack, Gualtieri said. About 15,000 people live in Oldsmar, according to the United States Census Bureau. The city is located on Tampa Bay.