Midland Fence Upgrade Targets Hacking, Ramming
Utility operators must now secure electronic gates against both cyberattacks and vehicle ramming, not one threat alone.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Utilities
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Midland's utilities department has contracted Maverick Engineering to design and build new fencing at Hogan Park and five critical utility facilities, at a cost of $110,000. The project follows a hacking test that breached the current fence through a single access point.
Why it matters
Electronic gates on utility sites are vulnerable to cyberattack, so the city is replacing the fence with a design intended to resist both physical ramming and digital intrusion. Intentional car rammings have occurred three times in 11 years, adding a physical-security motive.
The $110,000 contract covers fencing and automatic gate improvements at five critical utility facilities, including the southern fence line at Hogan Park. A hacking firm breached the existing fence through one access point, and vehicles have been intentionally driven through the perimeter three times in 11 years.
The players
Maverick Engineering
Engineering firm partnering with the City of Midland to design and construct the new utility fencing.
City of Midland Utilities Department
Municipal department overseeing water and wastewater utility facilities and contracting the fence project.
The details
The city is partnering with Maverick Engineering to design and construct the new fence, with the design specifically intended to resist battery-ramming. Water and wastewater plant projects of this kind must be signed off by a professional engineer under TCEQ regulations. Sensors already installed at the facility have offset at least five potential water-related disasters, which the city cites as a reason to protect the perimeter as well.
Timeline
Over the past 11 years, intentional car rammings have occurred at the fence during the tenure of the city's current utilities official, Craigo.
Market Landscape
Water and wastewater projects in Texas must carry professional-engineer sign-off under TCEQ rules, which places this fence contract within a regulated engineering process. Cyber-physical hardening of utility sites, combining digital gate security with vehicle-ramming resistance, is a growing concern for municipal operators.
Operators of municipal or utility-adjacent facilities should review whether their perimeter security assumes that electronic gates are secure, since a single access point compromised the Midland fence. Procurement and facilities teams should treat cyber testing and vehicle-ramming resistance as separate requirements when specifying perimeter upgrades.
The takeaway
Perimeter upgrades for utility-adjacent sites now need to address both digital intrusion and physical ramming, not one alone. Facilities managers should confirm how their gate controls are networked and request a security assessment before the next capital project.
Further reading
For broader context on how cities protect essential infrastructure, see Utilities coverage in Midland.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Midland Reporter-Telegram.
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