whose water?
A film by Kate Levy
in collaboration with communities fighting for safe,
affordable water and sanitation across the United States
"Clear...Moving..Reveals What's usually invisible. A must see for anybody who drinks water."
-Rachel Haverlock, Freshwater Lab, University of Illinois
"Superb portrayal of the power structures that are destroying our water"
-Betsy Taylor, Author of Recovering the Commons: Democracy, Place and Global Justice
"How powerful it is to let people tell their own stories. How moving and motivating."
-Josie Pickens, Chief DEI Officer, City of Philadelphia
ABOUT THE FILM
Across the United States, nearly 2.2 million people lack safe or affordable water in their homes. Another 1.7 million lack proper sanitation systems. Whose Water?: The People’s Movement for Safe, Affordable Water and Sanitation in the United States travels to five drastically different regions of the country that are facing the impacts of this troubling trend–Lowndes County, Alabama; Flint, Detroit, and Highland Park, Michigan; Philadelphia; Navajo Nation; Martin County, Kentucky and Des Moines, Iowa. Through the stories of communities fighting for safe, affordable water and sanitation, the film examines the industrial and governmental systems that prevent so many people from accessing this basic necessity of life and offers concrete solutions to address this unprecedented human rights crisis.
LOCATIONS
Michigan
Surrounded by 20% of the world’s fresh water, communities across Michigan are facing astronomical water bills, compounded by unprecedented storms and aging infrastructure. It’s primarily low income, majority black communities facing the brunt of these issues, and who are at the forefront of the fight for safe, affordable water.
Navajo Nation
In the1864 Treaty with the US government, the Diné people were stripped of their ability to control minerals on their land. Since then, industrial and governmental coal and uranium mining operations have drained their water aquifer and contaminated individual wells. While 30% of Navajo Nation residents lack access to potable water, Navajo leaders, scientists and activists are working to hold the federal government accountable.
Lowndes County, Alabama
Inadequate governmental investment in rural infrastructure has left many residents of Lowndes County, Alabama, which is 70% black, with overpriced, malfunctioning septic systems, compounded by predatory home lending. These conditions have led to a major hookworm outbreak in the county. But after years of organizing, community
Martin County, Kentucky
Martin County, Kentucky was once the center of the US coal industry, reaping billions of dollars in profits for mining companies, and causing billions more in damage to Appalaichan communities. As coal mining rendered most individual wells unusable, poorly constructed infrastructure was built, but funding to maintain this infrastructure never materialized. Compounding this issue is water contamination, as elected officials, heavily influenced by coal mining companies have looked the other way. As prices for contaminated water in Appalachia has increased exponentially, an unlikely coalition of former coal miners, environmental activists and lawyers are working to hold elected officials accountable and regain control of their water system.
Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa is the largest corn and soybean producer in the United States, a commodity that has become increasingly precious as an alternative to fossil fuels. In order to maximize production, industrial agricultural operations drain water from their fields, polluting rivers and streams with nitrates, costing water utilities millions of dollars to treat drinking water. The farm and soybean industry are not required to clean up their farm runoff under the Clean Water Act, thus the Des Moines water department filed an unprecedented lawsuit in an attempt to force regulation over these enormous farming operations.
Philadelphia
As water bills become more unaffordable for Philadelphians, specifically African Americans, arrears, which are added to property taxes began to pile up, resulting in the loss of many Black-owned family homes. Community Legal Services of Philadelphia began to advocate for a water affordability plan and arrearage forgiveness program, tying water bills to a percentage of a household’s income.
PEOPLE IN THE FILM
THE TEAM
partner ORGANIZATIONS
