he Danish Ministry of Environment has announced a series of measures to reinforce security and emergency preparedness across the national water sector. The move follows a new assessment from the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (FE), which expects Russia to intensify its hybrid warfare against the West and NATO in the coming months, with more frequent attacks and more serious consequences, including destructive cyberattacks against functions that are vital to society.
At the same time, the Danish Agency for Civil Security (SAMSIK) has raised the threat level for destructive cyberattacks against Denmark from MEDIUM to HIGH. SAMSIK now considers it likely that Russia will attempt such attacks, and while the raised level applies across Danish society, it is especially relevant for companies responsible for critical infrastructure. The water sector, made up of roughly 2,500 drinking water suppliers and just over 100 wastewater companies, falls squarely within this group.
Minister for the Environment Maria Reumert Gjerding stressed that the sector's decentralised structure already makes it robust, but that the new security situation requires further action. The ministry will tighten both cybersecurity and physical security requirements, and is implementing an expanded water crisis preparedness scheme. This includes strategically placed stockpiles of emergency equipment such as drinking water tanks, emergency generators, pumps and critical spare parts, so that even small utilities can restore operations quickly after major incidents. A new preparedness centre with 24/7 on-call staff will be set up in the Danish Environmental Protection Agency to coordinate response, handle incident reports, provide guidance and supervise the new rules, supported by a mobile team that helps smaller utilities meet the requirements.
In October, the ministry will present bills placing all water utilities, large and small, under mandatory cyber and physical security requirements, supplementing the EU rules that already apply to the largest operators. In the meantime, water companies are urged to raise staff awareness, monitor their physical sites for suspicious activity, report unusual incidents to the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, ensure emergency plans are up to date, and hold regular exercises.