WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Richard Hanna (R-22nd Congressional District) has joined with some of his colleagues in Congress for a bipartisan push to improve water infrastructure in communities throughout the country.

On Friday, Hanna helped unveil the “Water Investment Trust Fund Act,” a piece of legislation that would provide small, deficit-neutral, protected source of revenue to help states upgrade clean and drinking water facilities by creating a voluntary labeling and contributory system to which businesses that rely on a clean water source could participate.

At the heels of the lead water crisis in Flint, Mich., Hanna said it’s critical to maintain water infrastructure. The nation’s aging water systems are deteriorating, he said, and that’s leading to some serious economic, health and environmental issues.

In 2015, American communities saw more than 240,000 water main breaks and overflowing combined sewer systems which led to water contamination, property damage, and disruptions in water supply, said Hanna.

“Much of our water infrastructure has been neglected for decades, which poses great health risks not to mention potentially billions of dollars in liabilities,” said Hanna. “We need to ensure that there is a long-term plan in place to address our water infrastructure – our pipes, drains sewers – to repair our aging systems and make certain that we are upgrading our water systems in a responsible way.”