Watching: The Water Front
When I was a kid, I remember helping my pops water the garden. He told me that he’d seen on the news that water was going to be the most expensive resource on earth. Eight-year-old me could not believe it! Water? But it comes from the sky! Well, I’m not sure what newscast pops was watching 22 years ago, but that report was pretty much spot on. With huge areas of the U.S. crippled by drought water is becoming more of a commodity than a right.
That distinction is the focus of The Water Front, a documentary about the residents of Highland Park, Michigan and their struggle to keep a handle on their water rights. Check out the trailer and more on the film after the jump!
- » See also: Back to the Bricks 2009
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This film raises some interesting questions about water infrastructure. The city just can’t afford to maintain things as they are. Bringing in folks from the outside was no help - their attempts to raise money ended up backfiring and disenfranchising many of Highland Park’s few remaining residents. Residents don’t trust a private company with their water, and why should they? We’ve seen how well that went in places like Bolivia, where water privatization led to riots.
So what can a bankrupt city do? Highland Park’s residents have done a great job of organizing and getting heard. They formed the Highland Park Human Rights Organization and are active and vocal in the City Council. There’s no easy answer, but community involvement, education, and conservation are definitely key in ensuring that everyone can afford to keep the water running.
For more information about the movie, including upcoming screenings, check out The Water Front movie’s website.
