City of Fountain earns special designation for the city’s efforts to strengthen cybersecurity in utilities

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) -- The City of Fountain says it has received a special designation by a group that represents public utilities as part of the city's efforts to strengthen cybersecurity.

According to the city, Fountain has become one of 60 cities in the United States to earn a designation from the American Public Power Association's Cybersecurity Accelerator Program (CAP). The city says the program helps cities check how strong their cybersecurity systems are.

“This is a testament to our Tech Services Department’s commitment to maintaining a very high level of
cybersecurity, which is of critical importance to ensure reliable utility services to the community,” Utilities Director Dan Blankenship said in a press release. “There are no guarantees that a cybersecurity event will not occur, but the actions that have been taken by the Tech Services Department have significantly reduced the likelihood of a cybersecurity incident occurring in Fountain."

The city's Gold Designation comes shortly after Gov. Jared Polis announced "foreign actors" were involved in a cybersecurity incident that impacted two small, private water providers that serve less than 200 people.

City officials say the CAP also looks at how well a utility can protect its computer networks and the technology that runs the electric grid, while also reviewing best practices. The city says it's proud of the achievement and keeping its utilities safe is one of its top priorities.

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