Utility Payment Site Redirected Chattanooga Users
A lapsed domain certificate caused a local sewer payment portal to redirect residents to a pornographic website.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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Chattanooga and Hamilton County officials issued a warning after a third-party payment portal, sewerpayments.com, directed local residents to a pornographic site. The issue stemmed from a lapsed domain name system certificate managed by the vendor.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the risks associated with third-party digital infrastructure in local government, especially as cyber threats against utility services increase nationwide.
The redirection impacted the domain sewerpayments.com, which is operated by ENCO Utility Services. The service disruption was caused specifically by a lapsed domain name system certificate.
The players
ENCO Utility Services
This California-based vendor operates the digital payment platform used by Chattanooga and Hamilton County for sewer billing.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The FBI serves as the primary federal agency responsible for investigating cyber threats against critical domestic infrastructure.
The details
Residents attempting to pay sewer fees were directed to a private connection warning before being rerouted to an external, inappropriate landing page. The service was operated by California-based ENCO Utility Services and has since been restored.
Timeline
July 2026: The FBI and EPA issued warnings regarding cyber targeting at utilities.
Wednesday, Sept 23, 2026: The government issued a warning about the compromised link.
Thursday, Sept 24, 2026: The ENCO payment website was restored to service.
The Tech Race
This incident highlights the growing importance of securing third-party digital infrastructure, aligning with the FBI and EPA's 2026 cybersecurity warnings for utilities. It underscores a shift toward holding vendors accountable for the digital resilience of essential government services.
Users can now access the sewer payment portal safely after the certificate was updated on Thursday. Residents should remain cautious when encountering browser security warnings on official government-linked sites.
The takeaway
Maintaining updated digital credentials is a critical security task for all service vendors. Residents are encouraged to report any future browser security warnings immediately to local utility departments.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in Cybersecurity protocols for regional utilities.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Timesfreepress.
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