Water and Sewage Infrastructure as a Target of Sabotage
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Purpose: The aim of this article is to present water and sewage infrastructure as a strategic target for sabotage activities carried out as part of contemporary hybrid threats and to assess the consequences of such activities for the security of the state and society. The article identifies the main vulnerabilities of water and sewage systems, analyses potential attack scenarios, and highlights the importance of critical infrastructure resilience in the context of Poland's security. Introduction: Contemporary conflicts increasingly take the form of actions below the threshold of open warfare, including sabotage of critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, and destabilisation operations. Water and sewage infrastructure, responsible for the supply of drinking water and the collection and treatment of sewage, is a particularly sensitive element of state functioning. Disrupting its operation can lead to sanitary crises, epidemiological threats, social destabilisation, and economic losses. The article indicates that actions targeting the water and sewage sector should be analysed not only as technical or criminal incidents, but also as a potential element of hybrid warfare and the implementation of the Russian active warfare doctrine ("aktivka"). Methodology: The article utilizes a literature review, documents on critical infrastructure security, and a threat analysis for the water and sewage sector. A comparative analysis method and a systems approach were also used to assess the relationship between the functioning of water and sewage infrastructure and national security. Potential sabotage scenarios, including both physical and cyberattacks, were analysed. Conclusions: Water and sewage infrastructure is one of the most vulnerable elements of a country's critical infrastructure. Its disruption can have longterm social, health, environmental, and economic consequences. Contemporary sabotage activities against this sector increasingly align with the logic of hybrid warfare and destabilisation activities conducted by state and non-state actors. Developing infrastructure resilience, integrating the activities of infrastructure operators with public administration and security services, and enhancing monitoring, crisis response, and cybersecurity systems are crucial to mitigating the impact of threats.
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $184
OpenAlex ID: W7204944822