European partners continued advancing the ATHENA initiative, a major project focused on improving cybersecurity resilience across water-sector operational technology environments. The programme brings together water operators, government agencies, security specialists, and research institutions from multiple European countries.
The project addresses a growing concern within the water industry: the increasing digitization of operational technology. As treatment plants, pumping stations, and monitoring systems become more connected, cyberattacks have the potential to create significant operational disruptions.
ATHENA is developing practical training programmes, cyber awareness initiatives, and simulation environments that help operators better understand and respond to cyber incidents. Advanced approaches such as mixed reality and gamified learning are being explored to improve preparedness.
The initiative directly supports Europe's broader cybersecurity objectives under NIS2 and demonstrates how collaboration between governments, academia, and industry can improve the resilience of critical water infrastructure.