Missouri American Water customers’ bills are on hold temporarily after its parent company announced that it detected a “cybersecurity incident†and unauthorized activity within its computer networks.
American Water — the New Jersey-based company that operates in 13 states, including Missouri and Illinois — said it learned of the activity on Thursday and determined it was a cybersecurity breach.
In response, and in an effort to protect customers’ data, the company said it deactivated certain systems — meaning that billing would be paused “until further notice.†There will be no late charges or water disconnections during this time, it added.
In the meantime, the company said its water is safe to drink.
“We currently believe that none of our water or wastewater facilities or operations have been negatively impacted by this incident,†American Water said in a news release.
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The company did not clarify whether customer information was at risk, saying that it is investigating and coordinating with law enforcement.
A Missouri American Water spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a phone message.
The company’s Missouri-focused arm is the water utility for about 1.6 million people in places across the state, the bulk of whom are in the suburbs of St. Louis.