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>>MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE
DIE EVERY YEAR
FROM WATER-BORN DISEASES.
MOST OF THEM ARE CHILDREN
BELOW 5 YEARS OF AGE.
>>WE HAVE MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.
EVERY MORNING THEY GET UP
AND TURN ON THE TAP,
NOT KNOWING THAT THERE'S
ROCKET FUEL IN THEIR
WATER SUPPLY.
>>THERE'S REALLY BEEN
A CONCERTED EFFORT TO
MISCHARACTERIZE THE DEGREE
OF THE THREAT
THAT'S FACING US.
>>WE HAVE WARS GOING ON
IN THE WORLD OVER OIL BECAUSE
OF PRICING OF OIL.
AND, IF WE TAKE
THE SAME PATH WITH WATER,
THAT'S OIL ALL OVER AGAIN.
>>THE WORLD IS RUNNING
OUT OF FRESH WATER.
PEOPLE WILL DO ANYTHING; THEY'LL
GIVE ANYTHING, THEIR LIFE'S
SAVINGS, THEIR HOUSE,
ANYTHING FOR WATER.
>>WITHOUT WATER WE
HAVE NOTHING.
WITHOUT WATER,
WE HAVE NO LIFE,
WE HAVE NO CULTURE,
WE HAVE NO SOCIETY,
WE HAVE NO ECONOMY.
WITHOUT WATER, THE
EARTH WOULDN'T BE WHAT IT IS.
>>WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT OUR WATER PLANET,
IT IS ONE HUGE LIVING
BODY BECAUSE OF THE
WATER THAT FLOWS THROUGH IT.
AND, ACROSS THE LANDMASSES,
YOU CAN HAVE VEINS
OF WATER AND ARTERIES OF
WATER FLOWING.
THIS FLOWS INTO
OUR OCEAN,
WHICH IS THE HEART OF
OUR EARTH,
AND IT EXHALES, IT
EVAPORATES WATER AND PUTS WATER
BACK INTO THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE,
WHICH THEN AGAIN GOES UP TO THE
MOUNTAIN TOPS, AND AGAIN COMES
DOWN IN THE FORM OF VEINS AND
ARTERIES.
SO OUR PLANET IS JUST ONE
HUGE LIVING BODY WITH WATER
CONSTANTLY CIRCULATING
THROUGH IT,
AND IT IS THE WATER
THAT GIVES IT LIFE.
WE, TOO,
ARE LIKE THE SURFACE OF
OUR PLANET,
70% WATER AND 30%
SOLID. WE, TOO,
HAVE A HEART. WE
HAVE 60,000 MILES OF VEINS AND
ARTERIES, AND JUST
LIKE THE EARTH
RECYCLES THE WATER, WE HAVE A
WATER CYCLE WITHIN US.
>>THE UNITED STATES
DOES NOT KEEP ACTIVE RECORDS OF
HOW MANY PEOPLE GET SICK FROM
OUR WATER SUPPLY EVERY YEAR.
THERE ARE ESTIMATES THAT FROM
500 THOUSAND TO 7 MILLION
PEOPLE GET SICK PER YEAR FROM
DRINKING THE TAP WATER.
>>ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
IS THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF
BUGS IN THE SYSTEM: VIRUSES,
PATHOGENS, BACTERIA.
A LOT OF THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU THINK OF AS
STOMACH VIRUSES OR FLUES,
ABOUT 40% OF THOSE
COME FROM YOUR
DRINKING WATER.
>>WE ARE NOT REMOVING
THINGS LIKE INDUSTRIAL
CHEMICALS, ROCKET FUEL,
PESTICIDES, CERTAIN
PHARMACEUTICALS, DRUGS THAT WERE
DISCHARGED EITHER BY BIG ANIMAL
FACTORIES OR BY
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THEY
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR
WATER SUPPLY BECAUSE THEY GO OUT
AND BUY BOTTLED WATER.
WELL, WE HAVE NEWS FOR THEM.
IN FACT, A LOT
OF YOUR EXPOSURE TO MANY OF THE
CHEMICALS COMES FROM THE SIMPLE
ACT OF SHOWERING IN THEM. SO,
SOME OF THESE MORE VOLATILE
POLLUTANTS COME IN
THROUGH YOUR SKIN.
>>THERE ARE OVER
116,000 HUMAN-MADE CHEMICALS.
WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY
INTERACT. WE ARE BECOMING
EXPERIMENTS FOR THESE SYNTHETIC
CHEMICALS. AND,
WHEN THE LIVER TAKES
THESE CHEMICALS OUT
OF OUR BODIES,
WHAT HAPPENS?
THEY GET FLUSHED DOWN
THE TOILET,
AND THEN THEY GO INTO
THE AQUIFER,
AND THEN THEY GO INTO
OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS.
WE TAKE THE WATER FROM
THE RIVERS AND STREAMS
AND WE PUT IT INTO OUR
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS,
AND WE'RE DRINKING IT AGAIN.
>>ALL THOSE PHARMACEUTICALS,
ALL THOSE COSMETICS,
ALL THE STUFF THAT'S IN
THERE. YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT'S CHANGING THE
CHEMISTRY IN OUR BODIES,
AND IT'S HURTING US.
>>FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS
SINCE THE GREEN REVOLUTION
BROUGHT CHEMICAL AGRICULTURE TO
INDIA, THERE ARE 2 PROBLEMS THAT
IT HAS CREATED FOR
WATER SYSTEMS.
THE 1ST PROBLEM IS THE CROPS ARE
ACTUALLY HIGHLY
INEFFICIENT IN WATER
USE, THEY NEED LOTS OF WATER TO
DISSOLVE THE CHEMICALS,
AND THAT MEANS
5 TO 10 TIMES MORE
WATER IS USED TO
PRODUCE THE SAME
AMOUNT OF FOOD.
>>WE MUSTN'T FORGET THAT
THESE CHEMICALS WERE
DESIGNED FOR WARFARE.
THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
EVERY ONE OF THEM
CAME OUT OF THE WAR SYSTEM.
NOW, THEY ARE IN
OUR DRINKING WATER.
>>PEOPLE ASSUME THAT
THERE'S SOMEBODY IN THE
GOVERNMENT PROTECTING
THEIR WATER SUPPLY,
AND THAT'S OFTEN NOT THE CASE.
ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY
EXAMPLES OF THAT IS
THE MOST COMMON PESTICIDE
SPRAYED IN THE UNITED STATES,
ATRAZINE.
>>ATRAZINE ITSELF IS
AN HERBICIDE,
OR A WEED-KILLER,
AND IT'S USED ON
PRODUCTS SUCH AS CORN.
IT IS THE NUMBER 1 CONTAMINANT
FOUND IN DRINKING WATER,
AND GROUND WATER,
AND SURFACE WATER.
INITIALLY,
WE WERE CONTRACTED BY
SYNGENTA,
THE MAKERS OF ATRAZINE,
AND THEIR INTEREST WAS
IN TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT,
SO THEY SAID,
WHETHER OR NOT ATRAZINE
COULD FUNCTION AS AN
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTOR.
MEANING, COULD IT
INTERFERE WITH HORMONES,
SUCH AS THYROID HORMONES,
TESTOSTERONE, ESTROGEN.
WE FOUND THAT ATRAZINE HAD A
NUMBER OF EFFECTS, BUT MOST
SIGNIFICANTLY, ATRAZINE
DEMASCULINIZED
THE EXPOSED MALE FROGS.
I WOULD EVEN SAY
CHEMICALLY CASTRATED.
WE WENT ON TO SHOW THAT
IN ADDITION TO BEING
DEMASCULINIZED,
THEY WERE ALSO FEMINIZED.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS,
MALE AMPHIBIANS WOULD GROW
OVARIES AND EVEN PRODUCE EGGS.
FISH SHOW SIMILAR EFFECTS,
THEIR SPERM COUNTS DROP,
THEY START TO
MAKE EGG YOLK PROTEIN.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT ATRAZINE'S
CAUSING A GLOBAL
DECLINE IN SPERM
COUNTS IN MEN?
AGAIN, THE
EXPERIMENTAL AND
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
DATA SUGGEST THAT ATRAZINE
MAY PLAY A VERY
SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
IT'S ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH
PROSTATE CANCER IN SOME OF
THEIR FACTORIES
THAT PRODUCE ATRAZINE,
AS WELL AS
BREAST CANCER IN SOME
STUDIES THAT
LOOK AT WOMEN WHOSE WATER'S
CONTAMINATED WITH ATRAZINE.
ONE BIG CONCERN MIGHT
BE FETUSES THAT,
IN EFFECT,
ARE LIVING IN WATER.
SO, IF THAT FETUS
GETS EXPOSED TO A
CHEMICAL,
IT'S CONSTANTLY DRINKING
ITS AMNIOTIC FLUID.
IN THE ENTIRE EUROPEAN UNION,
ATRAZINE HAS BEEN BANNED.
AND, IN EFFECT,
THAT IS THE ONLY
WAY YOU CAN LIMIT ATRAZINE
LEVELS BECAUSE IT CAN TRAVEL
UP TO 600 MILES, 1,000 KM
IN THE RAINWATER.
IN FACT, OF THE 80 MILLION
POUNDS OF ATRAZINE WE
USE IN THE UNITED
STATES, ABOUT A HALF
MILLION POUNDS OF THAT
ATRAZINE COMES BACK IN THE
RAINWATER.
AND THE IRONY IS,
I GUESS THAT, YOU KNOW,
HERE'S A EUROPEAN COMPANY
SELLING 80 MILLION POUNDS
OF A PRODUCT IN THE UNITED
STATES WHERE IT'S NOT
EVEN LEGAL IN THE
HOME COUNTRY.
>>WHEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY UNDER
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION
DECIDED THAT IT NEEDED TO
AT LEAST APPEAR TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM,
AFTER WE SUED THEM,
THEY ENDED UP SITTING
DOWN WITH THE PEOPLE THAT
MADE ATRAZINE IN PRIVATE
NEGOTIATIONS,
THEY MET OVER 50 TIMES
PRIVATELY,
WITH THE COMPANY,
AND THEY CUT A DEAL.
NO CRACKDOWN,
NO ENFORCEMENT ACTION,
NO BANNING PESTICIDE
>>I JUST,
I'VE NEVER SEEN BLOOD
LIKE THIS,
THEY'RE JUST POURING
THIS STUFF RIGHT IN.
THIS IS GOING INTO LAKE
TITICACA,
WHICH IS THE SACRED LAKE TO THE,
THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HERE.
>>WE CAN SEE THAT,
BECAUSE THAT'S THE PART
THAT IS OPEN. >>OF COURSE.
YOU DON'T SEE THE WHOLE THING
THAT THEY ARE DOING TO
THE WHOLE RIVER HERE
>>WELL WHAT THEY WERE
GOING TO DO HERE IS
THEY'RE GOING TO DIVERT
IT UNDER THE CEMENT THING;
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CLEAN
IT UP, IT JUST WON'T BE
SO UGLY AND OPEN,
IT WILL STILL SMELL
THE WAY IT SMELLS
>>SO LET ME UNDERSTAND.
SUEZ SAID THEY PUT AN
$80 MILLION DOLLAR TREATMENT
FACILITY HERE.
NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT DO THAT,
BUT THEY'VE DIVERTED THE RAW
SEWAGE INTO THIS RIVER
THAT GOES INTO LAKE TITICACA?
>>YEAH.
THIS IS A RIVER THAT CROSSES
ALL THE CITY,
SO IT'S AROUND THE CITY THAT
THEY ARE DOING THE SAME THING.
>>TRADITIONALLY,
WATER HAS BEEN DELIVERED
AS A PUBLIC SERVICE BY
GOVERNMENTS.
BUT, IN THE LAST TEN YEARS,
3 MAJOR WATER COMPANIES FROM
EUROPE HAVE STARTED
DELIVERING WATER ON A
FOR-PROFIT BASIS IN
MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.
THEY ARE VERY POWERFUL;
THEY'RE ALL AMONG THE TOP
HUNDRED CORPORATIONS,
FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.
THEY'RE VERY WEALTHY;
THEY'RE GROWING VERY FAST.
AND BASICALLY,
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,
POOR COUNTRIES ARE BEING
FORCED ALL OVER THE WORLD
TO HAND OVER BASIC CONTROL
OF THEIR WATER SYSTEMS
TO A FOR-PROFIT
MULTINATIONAL FROM
EUROPE OR FAR AWAY.
>>SUEZ IS ONE OF THE 2 WORLD
LEADERS IN WATER DISTRIBUTION
AND WATER TREATMENT
IN THE WORLD.
>>I'M WORKING WITH A FRENCH
COMPANY,
A LARGE WATER OPERATOR
CALLED VIVENDI,
VIVENDI ENVIRONMENT.
>>WE ARE ACTIVE IN MORE
THAN 100 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES;
>>WE ARE ACTIVE SINCE
150 YEARS.
SO WE ARE A VERY
LONG-TERM OPERATOR
IN WATER BUSINESS.
>>THIS IS A COUNTRY IN WHICH
NEARLY 1 OUT OF EVERY
10 CHILDREN WILL DIE
BEFORE THE AGE OF 5,
AND MOST OF THOSE DEATHS ARE
RELATED TO ILLNESSES
THAT COME FROM A LACK OF
CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
SO, WHEN PEOPLE OF EL ALTO SAY,
"ENOUGH WITH WATER
PRIVATIZATION,"
IT'S BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN
DRINKING WATER,
THEIR CHILDREN'S
HEALTH IS AT RISK.
>>WHY DID BOLIVIA PRIVATIZE
THE WATER SYSTEMS OF
COCHABAMBA AND EL ALTO?
IT'S NOT LIKE BOLIVIAN
CITIZENS DECIDED IT WAS A
GOOD IDEA.
WATER PRIVATIZATION WAS
ABSOLUTELY FORCED ON
BOLIVIA BY THE WORLD BANK.
IN 1997,
THE WORLD BANK TOLD BOLIVIA
THAT IF THEY DID NOT
PRIVATIZE THE WATER
SYSTEMS OF COCHABAMBA AND
EL ALTO, LA PAZ, THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO BE CUT-OFF FROM
WATER DEVELOPMENT
LOANS BY THE WORLD BANK.
>>WE HAVE WAITED HERE 5 HOURS.
SOMETIMES THE WATER COMES;
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T COME.
SOMETIMES WE CAN SPEND 4
WEEKS WITHOUT WATER.
YEAH, EVERYDAY,
WE CAN COME AND OPEN.
NOTHING, THERE'S NOTHING.
>>COST RECOVERY IS KIND
OF THE NEW BIBLE,
YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE
IN SOUTH AFRICA.
THAT WE, EVERYBODY MUST
PAY FOR WHATEVER SERVICE
YOU GET.
AND FOR RICH PEOPLE,
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT A PROBLEM,
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE
REALLY POOR, YOU WOULDN'T
BELIEVE IT,
BUT 5 RAND,
WHICH IS LESS THAN A DOLLAR,
IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR RURAL
COMMUNITIES.
SO YOU FIND THAT THE
POOREST OF THE POOR,
THEY'RE ONLY TAKING 1 BUCKET
BUT IF YOU WORK OUT HOW MUCH
THEY'VE PAID FOR THAT BUCKET,
IT'S ACTUALLY MORE THAN A
RICHER PERSON WOULD HAVE
PAID IN AN URBAN COMMUNITY
FOR THAT WATER,
AND IT'S UNJUST.
>>IF YOU HAVE NO WATER,
FORGET ABOUT REDUCING
POVERTY BECAUSE BAD WATER IS,
TODAY,
THE SOURCE OF THE MAJOR
DISEASES.
IT KILLS MORE THAN AIDS,
MORE THAN WARS.
WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO
REDUCE BY HALF THE
PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WITH NO
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER.
THE CHALLENGE IS OF SUCH A
MAGNITUDE.
WE MUST PUT AT THE DISPOSAL
OF THE COMMON GOOD,
THE KNOW-HOW OF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR.
>>LET'S FIND OUT
>>ALRIGHT.
>>WE ARE FROM SUEZ.
>>THIS IS THE MEETING
FROM SUEZ.
>>THAT'S INTERESTING.
>>AT FIRST WHEN THESE PRIVATE
COMPANIES WENT INTO DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES,
THEY WERE WELCOMED BY
THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY
WERE GOING TO BRING WATER
AND THEY WERE GOING TO
BRING INVESTMENTS.
WHAT PEOPLE DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND WAS THAT
THEY'RE NOT BRINGING NEW
INVESTMENTS.
IT'S PAID FOR BY THE
PUBLIC PERSON,
BY THE WORLD BANK.
THEN, THEY CAME IN AND THEY
RAISED PRICES,
AND THEY DIDN'T DELIVER GOOD,
QUALITY WATER,
AND THEY CUT POOR PEOPLE OFF,
AND THEY FIRED PUBLIC SERVANTS,
AND THEY,
THEIR RECORD WAS A DISASTER.
>>THEY ARE BRINGING WATER TO
POOR AREAS,
BUT THEY'RE BRINGING THE WATER
WHERE YOU HAVE TO PUT IN A
LITTLE CARD TO GET THAT WATER.
>>THIS COUNTRY IS PERHAPS THE
LEADERS IN A NEW TECHNOLOGY,
PREPAYMENT WATER METERING.
>>YEAH, ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE
BOOK THAT WE GOT THAT IS SHOWING
PEOPLE HOW TO USE THE PREPAID
METERS. BUT IN EFFECT,
THIS BOOK IS WRITTEN IN ENGLISH,
AND THEN HALF OF THIS COMMUNITY,
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH.
>>THE CONSUMER NEEDS TO
PAY UP FRONT FOR THE SUPPLY
OF WATER.
>>YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS TOKEN
TO PAY FOR WATER. IF I WANT
TO HAVE WATER, I HAVE TO PUT
MY BUCKET HERE. YOU SEE?
THAT'S HOW I GET WATER.
>>YOU'VE ACTUALLY CHANGED THE
THINKING, THE CULTURE OF PEOPLE,
TO UNDERSTAND THAT
THEY SHOULD PAY.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FORCE
THEM TO PAY,
THEY SHOULD WANT TO PAY.
>>BY TELLING A WOMAN,
WHO'S GOT NOTHING,
"IN ORDER TO GET YOUR WATER,
YOU MUST PUT IN A CARD THAT
TAKES YOUR MEAGER AMOUNT OF
MONEY,"
WHAT IS SHE GOING TO DO BUT GO
TO THE RIVER,
AND TAKE THAT DIRTY WATER,
AND DIE OF CHOLERA?
AND THEN YOU SAY PEOPLE DON'T
KNOW HOW TO PRACTICE HYGIENE.
>>THE PEOPLE HERE DON'T KNOW.
WE JUST ASKED THEM.
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE
GETTING PREPAID WATER METERS.
>>I SENT THE...
>>THEIR NOT.
>>THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!
THESE PEOPLE ARE POOR,
THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE,
THEY'RE NOT BEING EDUCATED
ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE
WHOLE PROCESS.
>>THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE
HAVING PREPAID WATER METERS
IT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE WINNING.
AND YOU KNOW THAT.
>>FREE WATER,
FREE ELECTRICITY,
HOUSES FOR ALL.
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING WAS
THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE HAVING
THEIR ELECTRICITY DISCONNECTED,
THEIR WATER DISCONNECTED,
THEY HAD BEEN EVICTED FROM
THESE VERY HOMES THAT THE
GOVERNMENT SAID THEY WOULD
IMPROVE CONDITIONS OF.
PEOPLE THEN STARTED SAYING,
"WE WILL RECONNECT ILLEGALLY,
BUT WE WILL RECONNECT OPENLY.
THERE ARE WHOLE TOWNSHIPS THAT
ARE RECONNECTING PEOPLES' WATER.
>>THERE ARE WOMAN PLUMBERS
HERE.
WE LEARNED THE JOB FROM
THE MEN BECAUSE WHEN THE MEN
ARE NOT HERE,
WE ARE THE LADIES WHO
RECONNECT THE WATER AND
RECONNECT THE LIGHTS.
>>THE WATER HAS BEEN STOPPED
AND WE JUST BATTLE AND,
YOU KNOW, TRY AND GET WATER
FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM
CONTAINERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>>THEY TALK ABOUT WATER IN
SCHOOL AND WATER IS PRECIOUS,
VERY PRECIOUS.
>>AND WATER IS SO IMPORTANT,
YOU KNOW,
WE REALLY NEED TO USE WATER
ALL THE TIME.
SO, WE DON'T KNOW.
>>WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAYING,
"THE WATER FOR THE PEOPLE,"
WE HAVE NO PROBLEM.
"WATER SHOULD NOT BE A
COMMODITY,"
WE HAVE NO PROBLEM.
WE ARE JUST THE OPERATOR,
LIKE A HOTEL OPERATOR,
WHO OPERATES THE SYSTEM
BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY A
LONG-TERM EXPERIENCE.
WE SELL OUR KNOWLEDGE.
WE HAVE THE KNOW-HOW.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.
WE KNOW HOW TO ORGANIZE
VERY BIG NETWORKS BRINGING
WATER TO THE HOMES.
TODAY, MORE THAN 30,000
PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERYDAY
FROM WATER DISEASE.
THE IDEAL OBJECTIVE WOULD
BE TO BRING CLEAN
WATER TO EVERYONE.
>>YOU CANNOT DELIVER THE SAME
AMOUNT OF GOOD,
QUALITY WATER,
OR HEALTH CARE,
OR EDUCATION,
OR ANYTHING ELSE TO A
POPULATION THAT NEEDS
IT IF YOU'RE ALSO PROVIDING
PROFIT FOR YOUR INVESTORS.
IT'S JUST BASIC COMMON SENSE.
>>PEOPLE HAVE THE VIEW THAT
WATER IS PROVIDED FREE
FROM THE HEAVENS,
FROM GOD.
SO, WHY MUST YOU PAY FOR WATER?
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO
RECEIVE WATER IN A SUSTAINED
WAY, THROUGH PIPES,
AND TAPS,
THERE IS A LOT OF
MONEY THAT HAS TO GO
INTO THAT PROVISION.
>>WE ARE QUITE SYMPATHETIC
TO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE
TO RUN THIS CITY,
AND YOU NEED MONEY.
BUT, ARE YOU GOING TO
TRY AND GET THIS MONEY
OUT OF PEOPLE WHO
CANNOT PAY YOU AT ALL?
>>ONE OF THE UN RESOLUTIONS,
THE MILLENNIUM GOALS,
THEY WANT TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE,
THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE
WITHOUT ACCESS TO DRINKING
WATER BY HALF BY THE YEAR 2015.
BUT IF YOU CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE DRINKING WATER USING
CONVENTIONAL METHODS,
USING CENTRALIZED,
TREATED WATER PIPED TO
VARIOUS LOCATIONS,
THE COST BECOMES UNAFFORDABLE
BECAUSE MOST OF THESE RURAL
PEOPLE LIVE IN SMALL
SETTLEMENTS DISPERSED WIDELY.
SO ONE MUST THINK OF WAYS
TO DO IT OUTSIDE THE BOX,
AS THE SAYING GOES.
ALMOST EVERYBODY IN INDIA
HAS AN EXPERIENCE WITH
BIOLOGICALLY CONTAMINATED
WATER.
IN MY CASE,
I LOST 5 OF MY COUSINS TO
DIARRHEA DISEASE WHILE
I WAS GROWING UP.
>>I WAS JUST A CHILD.
IT WAS ONLY WHEN I GREW
UP AND I HAD MY OWN CHILDREN
THAT I HAD SOME APPRECIATION
OF WHAT A DISASTER IT MUST
HAVE BEEN FOR MY AUNTS
AND UNCLES.
THE FACT THAT ULTRAVIOLET
LIGHT KILLS PATHOGENS,
OR BACTERIA IN WATER,
HAS BEEN KNOWN SINCE 1920'S.
I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO
DISINFECT WATER WITH UV LIGHT
IN A WAY THAT IS AFFORDABLE
BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE WAS
DOING IT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN DONE,
AND COULD HAVE BEEN DONE,
BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE MUCH,
MUCH EARLIER,
BUT IT JUST WASN'T.
IN THIS STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH,
LAST YEAR, 70,000 PEOPLE DIED
FROM DIRTY DRINKING WATER
DESPITE OFFICIAL CLAIMS THAT,
YEAH, YOU KNOW,
IT'S AVAILABLE WITHIN 2
KILOMETERS OF WALKING DISTANCE,
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN
EVERY STATE OF INDIA LOSE THEIR
LIVES TO DIRTY DRINKING WATER.
>>THE DAILY OPERATION OF THE
SYSTEM CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF
BY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THE PRICE AT WHICH THEY BUY
THE WATER FROM THEMSELVES
PROVIDES ENOUGH REVENUE TO
EMPLOY THE PERSON WHO
ACTUALLY MAINTAINS THE SYSTEM,
WHO'S A LOCAL PERSON.
SO IT BECOMES A FINANCIALLY
VIABLE,
SELF-SUSTAINING MODEL OF HOW
A COMMUNITY CAN PAY FOR SAFE
DRINKING WATER FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE NEVER HAD SAFE DRINKING
WATER THEIR WHOLE LIFE.
>>THE COST PER PERSON PER
YEAR FOR HAVING 10 LITERS OF
SAFE DRINKING WATER EVERY DAY
IS JUST $2 US DOLLARS PER
PERSON PER YEAR.
EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE LESS
THAN A DOLLAR A DAY,
THEY CAN AFFORD $2 DOLLARS
PER YEAR.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
ACTUALLY BENEFIT EVERY DAY
FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY IS ABOUT
300,000.
IN PROPORTION TO THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE WHO NEED IT,
IT'S REALLY MINISCULE.
WE HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF
DISTANCE TO GO.
HISTORICALLY, MOST
OF THE FUNDING PROVIDED BY
AID INSTITUTIONS HAS GONE TO
POOR COUNTRIES BUT PROVIDED
WATER ONLY TO THE POLITICALLY
POWERFUL AND ECONOMICALLY
POWERFUL SECTORS IN THOSE
COUNTRIES.
ONCE THEY GET THEIR SAFE
DRINKING WATER,
THEIR PASSION FOR PROVIDING
SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
DECLINES SUBSTANTIALLY.
ESSENTIALLY,
IT'S THAT THEY HAVE GOT WHAT
THEY WANTED AND THE REST CAN
LIVE IN SLUMS AND DRINK THE
WATER THAT THEY CAN GET.
>>FOR THE LONGEST TIME,
PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN WATER FOR
GRANTED.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT
WHERE THEIR WATER COMES FROM.
THEY JUST TURN ON THE TAP AND
THEY EXPECT IT TO BE THERE.
THOSE DAYS ARE ENDING.
>>THIS NOTION THAT WE'LL
HAVE WATER FOREVER IS WRONG.
CALIFORNIA'S RUNNING OUT,
IT'S GOT 20-SOME YEARS OF WATER,
NEW MEXICO'S GOT 10, ALTHOUGH
THEY'RE BUILDING GOLF-COURSES AS
FAST AS THEY CAN, SO MAYBE THEY
CAN WHITTLE THAT DOWN TO FIVE.
ARIZONA, FLORIDA, EVEN THE GREAT
LAKES NOW, THERE'S HUGE NEW
DEMAND.
>>THE NILE RIVER DOESN'T REACH
ITS END, THE COLORADO RIVER,
THE YELLOW RIVER IN CHINA.
THEY, FOR THE MOST PART,
DON'T FLOW ANYMORE TO THE SEA.
>>SO, THIS NOTION THAT SOMEHOW
THESE PROBLEMS ARE FAR AWAY,
GET RID OF THAT, YOU KNOW,
TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD THAT,
YOU KNOW, DELETE THAT.
>>WE'RE TREATING THE WATER
RESOURCES OF THE PLANET WITH
CONTEMPT,
WHICH IS JUST SO STUPID BECAUSE
WE DEPEND ON THEM,
WE NEED WATER TO LIVE.
WE'LL ONLY SURVIVE FOR
A DAY OR 2 IF WE DON'T
HAVE WATER.
>>SCIENTISTS THROUGH DECADES OF
STUDY AND MILLION AND MILLIONS
OF PIECES OF DATA NOW RECOGNIZE
THE FACT THAT WE'RE ON THE
BRINK OF THE SIXTH GREAT MASS
EXTINCTION EVER TO BE
EXPERIENCED ON THE FACE OF
EARTH.
THE FIFTH GREAT MASS
EXTINCTION WAS WITH
THE DINOSAUR AGE.
>>YOU KNOW THOSE MOVIES WHERE
THERE'S THE COMET COMING
AT THE EARTH AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF
THE WORLD SAY,
"GEE, OUR DIFFERENCES AREN'T
SO BIG ANYMORE BECAUSE WE'RE
ABOUT TO ALL DIE?"
THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE ARE.
THERE IS A COMET COMING AT US.
IT'S CALLED WATER SHORTAGE.
>>CLIMATE CHANGE IS A REAL
PROBLEM.
HUMANS ARE CHANGING
THE CLIMATE, WE ALREADY SEE
EVIDENCE ABOUT IT.
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WILL
BE ON OUR WATER RESOURCES.
>>WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE
OF THE FLOODS AND DROUGHTS AND
VARIOUS SOCIAL UPHEAVALS THAT
ARE CAUSED BY GLOBAL WARMING.
WHAT'S ALSO TRAGIC IS THAT
THERE'S A LOT OF AWARENESS NOW,
BUT SO MUCH OF THAT AWARENESS IS
THEN BEING USED BY CORPORATE
INTERESTS,
"OH, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF WATER,
AND WE NEED TO INVEST SO MUCH
MONEY IN WATER,
AND IT'S SO TERRIBLE HOW WATER
IS MANAGED."
AND THEN SOMEHOW TO MAKE THE
FLIP TO,
"OH, WE MUST PRIVATIZE IT,
SO THEN WE'LL USE IT MORE
EFFICIENTLY AND EVERYBODY WILL
BE BETTER OFF."
WHICH IS TOTAL NONSENSE,
TOTAL UTTER NONSENSE.
IT MEANS MAINLY,
THESE PEOPLE HAVE AN INTEREST
CLEARLY IN MAKING MONEY OUT OF
SELLING WATER TO PEOPLE.
>>THERE ARE PRIVATE,
CORPORATE INTERESTS THAT HAVE
DECIDED THAT WATER IS GOING TO
BE PUT ON THE OPEN MARKET FOR
SALE, IT'S GOING TO BE
COMMODIFIED AND TREATED AS
ANY OTHER SALEABLE GOOD.
>>WATER IS NOW A $400 BILLION
DOLLAR GLOBAL INDUSTRY;
THE THIRD LARGEST BEHIND
ELECTRICITY AND OIL.
>>I BOUGHT THE GREEN,
I HAVE THE BLUE, AND I HAVE
ABOUT HALF OF THE YELLOW.
>>THE MARKET IS AMORAL AND IT'S
GOING TO LEAD YOU TO TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF POLLUTION AND
SCARCITY,
FRANKLY, BUT IT'S GOING TO LEAD
YOU TO SELLING TO THOSE WHO CAN
BUY IT AND NOT TO THOSE
WHO NEED IT.
>>THE WATER SECTOR IS GOING
TO GROW TWO TO THREE TIMES
THE GLOBAL ECONOMY OVER THE
NEXT 20 YEARS.
BY BUYING THE COMPANIES THAT
SOURCE, TREAT,
DISTRIBUTE AND MONITOR
OUR WATER SUPPLY,
YOU'RE LIKELY TO HAVE A PRETTY
STRONG INVESTMENT OVER
THE NEXT DECADE OR SO.
>>PEOPLE SAY THAT,
"WELL, WATER'S A LOT LIKE AIR,
DO YOU CHARGE FOR AIR?"
OF COURSE NOT.
"YOU SHOULDN'T CHARGE FOR
WATER," WELL OK,
WATCH WHAT HAPPENS.
>>BOTTLED WATER IS USED BY
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND
THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY THINK
IT'S SAFER THAN TAP WATER.
THERE IS LESS THAN ONE PERSON,
ACCORDING TO THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION,
REGULATING THE ENTIRE
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BOTTLED
WATER INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED
STATES.
THAT MEANS THAT,
THAT POOR PERSON DOES MULTIPLE
THINGS, AND 1 OF THEM IS
WATER.
THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION,
IF YOU ASK THEM WHAT'S IN ANY
BRAND OF BOTTLED WATER,
THEY'LL SAY,
"WE HAVE NO IDEA."
>>IT'S SO
STUPID.
WHY WOULD PEOPLE PAY SUCH A
PREMIUM FOR BOTTLED WATER?
TO FIND OUT,
WE TOOK OVER A VERY TRENDY
CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT.
WE PRINTED OUR OWN ELEGANT
WATER MENUS WITH PHONY
IMPORTED WATERS COSTING AS
MUCH AS $7 DOLLARS PER BOTTLE.
OUR WATER STEWARD GIVES OUR
FIRST LUCKY COUPLE
OUR SPECIAL WATER LIST.
>>I GUESS WE'LL GET
THE L'EAU DU ROBINET.
>>THE L'EAU DU ROBINET?
>>YEAH >>OH, FANTASTIC.
>>IT'S FRENCH FOR TAP WATER.
>>CHEERS.
>>YEAH, THIS IS CLEAN.
>>IT HAS A FLAVOR TO IT.
>>HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE
IT TO TAP WATER?
>>OH YEAH, DEFINITELY
BETTER THAN TAP WATER.
>>WHAT'S THE ACTUAL SOURCE OF
THESE CHIC WATERS?
A GARDEN HOSE ON THE
RESTAURANT PATIO.
THREE OUT OF 4 AMERICANS
DRINK BOTTLED WATER AND 1
IN 5 WILL ONLY DRINK
BOTTLED WATER.
AND WATER IS SOMETHING
WE ALREADY PAY FOR.
>>LEADING BRANDS ARE
BASICALLY TAP WATER OFTEN
SOLD FOR MORE THAN THE
COST OF GASOLINE.
>>SO, TODAY WE'RE HERE AT
TUFTS UNIVERSITY ORGANIZING
OUR 42ND TAP WATER CHALLENGE.
>>I THOUGHT,
FOR SURE, THAT THE
DASANI WATER WAS TAP WATER.
>>THEY'RE SPENDING TENS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY
YEAR TO CONVINCE US THAT
BOTTLED WATER IS BETTER
THAN TAP WATER,
WHEN IN FACT,
IT'S MUCH LESS REGULATED.
>>WE TESTED OVER A THOUSAND
BOTTLES OF WATER,
OVER A HUNDRED BRANDS
THAT ARE SOLD IN
THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE FOUND THAT
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY ANY SAFER,
OR BETTER,
OR PURER THAN YOUR
CITY TAP WATER.
WE FOUND THAT SOME OF THEM HAD
ARSENIC IN THEM, AT HIGH LEVELS,
SOME OF THEM HAD ORGANIC
CHEMICALS IN THEM,
A VARIETY OF BACTERIA,
SO THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH
ABOUT A THIRD OF THE BRANDS
THAT WE SAMPLED.
SOME OF THE WATER WE SAW
THAT HAD PICTURES OF MOUNTAINS
ON IT, IT WAS CITY TAP WATER.
GLACIER WATER,
CAME FROM GROUND WATER IN
FLORIDA.
SOME OF THEM SAID THAT THEY
WERE PURE MOUNTAIN
I MEAN, THE LIST IS VERY LONG.
WE FOUND A CASE IN
MASSACHUSETTS WHERE A GUY HAD
SUNK A WELL IN AN INDUSTRIAL
PARKING LOT THAT WAS NEAR A
SUPERFUND SITE.
HE WAS PUMPING WATER OUT OF
THIS WELL AND SELLING IT UNDER
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT BRANDS.
SO PEOPLE BUYING THIS STUFF HAD
NO IDEA WHERE IT WAS
COMING FROM.
>>THE DREAM OF PURE WATER
FOR ALL IS WITHIN REACH FOR
THE HUMANKIND.
>>THE WORLD WATER COUNCIL
WAS CREATED AT A MEETING OF
BIG POWERFUL WATER INTERESTS
IN 1997.
THEY CAME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE
CORPORATE TAKE-OVER OF WATER.
THEY WILL NOT TELL YOU THAT.
THEY'LL SAY CAME TOGETHER TO
BRING WATER TO THE WORLD'S
PEOPLE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WHO WAS AT
THAT FOUNDING MEETING,
IT'S ALL THE BIG WATER
CORPORATIONS,
IT'S THE WORLD BANK,
IT'S A LOT OF THE INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES
AND SO THEY CAME TOGETHER TO
PROMOTE A VISION OF A WATER
FUTURE THAT'S BASED ON
WATER AS A MARKET GOOD.
>>MOST AMERICANS HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THE WORLD BANK ACTUALLY IS.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
>>I, UNFORTUNATELY, I DO.
AND IT'S SAD BECAUSE WE DEAL
WITH THE QUESTION OF GOVERNANCE,
THE QUESTION OF CORRUPTION,
QUESTIONS OF ENVIRONMENT,
QUESTIONS OF HEALTH,
QUESTIONS OF EDUCATION,
AND ULTIMATELY,
THOSE THINGS ARE AT
THE CORE OF PEACE.
>>HOW CAN YOU KEEP LOANING
POOR COUNTRIES MONEY
TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS?
IT IS COMPLETELY PREDICTABLE
THAT WHAT HAPPENS IS POOR
COUNTRIES END UP WITH DEBTS
THEY CAN'T AFFORD,
AND THAT DEBT BECOMES THE NOOSE
AROUND THEIR NECK WITH WHICH
THE WORLD BANK AND THE
IMF BECOME THE GOVERNMENT.
>>THERE IS A POLITICAL SET OF
QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED AROUND
THIS.
WHO OWNS WATER?
WHO GETS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS
ABOUT WATER?
WHY IS THIS GROUP,
THE WORLD WATER COUNCIL AND THE
WORLD BANK,
AND THESE BIG WATER
CORPORATIONS,
WHY HAVE THEY GOT TO SET
THEMSELVES UP AS THE GLOBAL
HIGH COMMAND OF WATER AND MAKE
DECISIONS FOR THE REST OF US?
WHO EXACTLY ELECTED THEM?
>>THIS IS A CLUB THAT DECIDED,
I THINK BEFORE THE REST OF US
UNDERSTOOD,
THAT WATER IS THE MOST
PRECIOUS COMMODITY FOR
THEM IN THE WORLD.
IT'S BLUE GOLD.
THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE TONS OF
MONEY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THE MONEY BECAUSE YOU REALLY
NEED TO COMPARE FRESH
WATER WITH OIL.
IT'S ABOUT POWER.
IT'S ABOUT WHICH SECTORS OF
SOCIETY, WHICH COUNTRIES,
WHICH GOVERNMENTS,
WHICH CORPORATIONS ARE GOING
TO CONTROL THE BLUE
GOLD OF THE FUTURE.
>>WATER IS FOR SURVIVAL AND
WHO OWNS THE WATER FOR SURVIVAL,
OWNS YOU,
AND THAT'S THE PICTURE THAT
PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.
>>HAVE YOU EVER SEEN
ANY OF YOUR VICTIMS?
>>VICTIMS? DON'T BE
MELODRAMATIC.
LOOK DOWN THERE.
WOULD YOU REALLY FEEL ANY PITY
IF ONE OF THOSE DOTS STOPPED
MOVING FOREVER?
IF I OFFERED YOU 20,000 POUNDS
FOR EVERY DOT THAT STOPPED,
WOULD YOU REALLY,
OLD MAN, TELL ME TO KEEP MY
MONEY?
OR WOULD YOU CALCULATE HOW MANY
DOTS YOU COULD AFFORD TO SPARE?
FREE OF INCOME TAX, HOLLY,
FREE OF INCOME TAX.
THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN
SAVE MONEY NOWADAYS.
>>THE GANGES IS QUITE CLEARLY
A MOTHER IN A DEEP SENSE IN
THE INDIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE.
WE BRING THE ASHES OF OUR
PEOPLE TO THIS RIVER
WHEN THEY DIE.
UNTIL THOSE ASHES
TOUCH THE RIVER,
THEIR SPRITS AND SOULS
ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO
HAVE HAD SALVATION.
WHEN A CHILD IS BORN,
WE PUT A DROP OF GANGES WATER
IN THEIR MOUTH.
WHEN SOMEONE DIES,
THE LAST RITE IS A DROP
OF GANGES WATER.
IT IS CONSIDERED PURIFYING
IN A VERY DEEP SPIRITUAL
SENSE, THAT IT CLEANSES YOU,
AND IS THE PLACE WHERE HUMANS
RETURN TO BECOME MORE HUMAN.
IT'S THE RIVER THAT
GIVES US OUR HUMANITY.
>>ITS VERY LIFE IS
UNDER THREAT,
AND WITH THE LIFE OF THE GANGA,
WHAT IS THREATENED IS
THE BELIEF OF A BILLION INDIANS.
THIS WATER'S FLOW IS BEING
INTERRUPTED.
THIS GANGA IS BEING TRAPPED
IN THE TEHRI DAM,
AND THE TRAGEDY OF IT IS THAT
IT'S BEING DONE FOR MOST BASE,
CRUDE GREED OF ONE OF THE
WORLD'S BIGGEST WATER
COMPANIES.
SUEZ IS THEN GOING TO
GET THE WATER,
600 AND
35 MILLION LITERS
A DAY, TO BE SOLD TO
DELHI CITIZENS AT 10 TIMES
THE PRICE THEY ARE PAYING
FOR WATER TODAY.
>>IN THE 1800S AND THE 1700S,
AND GOING BACK EVEN FURTHER IN
TIME, SOCIETY LIVED ON THE
RESOURCES THAT WE HAD.
WE TOOK WATER WHEN WE NEEDED IT
FROM THE RIVERS FOR IRRIGATING
SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE.
WE CAPTURED RAINFALL AND
RECHARGED OUR GROUNDWATER
AQUIFERS WHEN WE COULD.
THAT TRADITIONAL WAY OF MEETING
OUR WATER NEEDS WAS REPLACED IN
THE 20TH CENTURY BY THE IDEA
THAT WE COULD BUILD LARGE
INFRASTRUCTURE,
WE COULD BUILD BIG DAMS,
WE COULD MOVE RIVERS AROUND.
>>WE'RE BUILDING DAMS BASICALLY
TO STORE WATER.
WHY DO WE STORE WATER?
WE STORE WATER SO THAT IT
CAN BE SUPPLIED FOR CITIES FOR
DRINKING WATER,
OR TO AGRICULTURE FOR
IRRIGATION,
AND SO THAT WE CAN GENERATE
HYDROELECTRICITY.
BUT THE BIG ISSUE IS DO WE
REALLY NEED DAMS TO DO
THESE THINGS AND ARE THERE
OTHER BETTER WAYS IN WHICH
WE CAN STORE WATER?
>>WHEN WE DAM A RIVER,
OR CHANGE THE COURSE OF A RIVER,
OR STRAIGHTEN A RIVER,
WE ARE PLAYING WITH A VERY
POWERFUL THING.
WE ARE ALTERING ECO SYSTEMS IN
A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME
THAT TOOK THOUSANDS OR MILLIONS
OF YEARS TO ADAPT AND TO EVOLVE.
IN THE RIVER, YOU HAVE ORGANIC
MATTER THAT WOULD FLOW DOWN THE
RIVER AND FEED ALL THE LIFE
FORMS IN THE RIVER,
AND ALL OF THE LIFE FORMS ALONG
THE RIVER AND FEED OUR OCEANS.
WHEN YOU PUT UP A DAM,
THAT ORGANIC MATTER GETS
CAPTURED BEHIND THE DAM AND
IT BEGINS TO ROT AND IT CREATES
METHANE GAS,
AND METHANE GAS IS ONE OF THE
GASES THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT ON OUR PLANET.
>>WHEN YOU CALCULATE THE
GLOBAL WARMING IMPACT OF THE
RESERVOIR IT CAN BE MANY
TIMES WORSE EVEN
THAN A COAL PLANT.
SOMETIMES 20 TIMES HIGHER
THAN A COAL BURNING POWER PLANT.
INVARIABLY,
WHEN A DAM IS BEING BUILT,
YOU HEAR JUSTIFICATION FOR THE
DAM BASED ON IT'S GOING TO
PROVIDE WATER FOR THE POOR,
IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE WATER
FOR THESE DROUGHT-PRONE AREAS
WHICH ARE SO BADLY IN NEED OF
WATER AND YOU GET THIS FEELING
THAT THIS IS SOME GREAT
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO HELP THE
LIVES OF THE SMALL FARMERS AND
THE POOR PEOPLE IN WHATEVER
COUNTRY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ACTUAL EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, THAT THOSE
WHO ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM
THE INCREASED IRRIGATION WATER
INVARIABLY ARE THE LARGER
FARMERS.
>>WORLDWIDE, THE MOST SHOCKING
IMPACT OF LARGE DAMS IS THE
DISPLACEMENT OF COMMUNITIES.
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD
COMMISSION ON DAMS,
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 TO 80
MILLION PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED
BY LARGE DAMS IN THE
20TH CENTURY.
WE'RE TALKING TENS OF MILLIONS
OF PEOPLE;
WE'RE TALKING THE POPULATION
OF A LARGE EUROPEAN COUNTRY.
THIS IS REALLY A HUGE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
PROBLEM IS THAT PROMISES ARE
MADE ALL THE TIME TO THE
AFFECTED PEOPLE TO ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO MOVE.
"WE'LL GIVE YOU A NICE NEW
HOUSE.
WE'LL GIVE YOU CLEAN WATER.
WE'LL GIVE YOU ELECTRICITY."
BUT NOBODY IS ACTUALLY
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE PROMISES
TO BE FULFILLED.
PROMISES ARE MADE,
PEOPLE ARE MOVED,
THE PROJECT IS BUILT AND THEN A
YEAR LATER PEOPLE STILL DON'T
HAVE THEIR LANDS.
THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO,
THEY HAVE NO LEGAL RECOURSE IN
MOST CASES TO HOLD ANYONE
ACCOUNTABLE.
>>SO IN THE NAME OF
DEVELOPMENT,
THESE COMMUNITIES IN THE
RIVER VALLEYS FACE DESTRUCTION,
DESTITUTION,
DEPRIVATION,
BECAUSE THE TIKLI POPULATED
COMMUNITIES WITH THE BEST OF
AGRICULTURE,
HORTICULTURE,
TEMPLES,
MOSQUES,
CULTURAL MONUMENTS,
EVERYTHING IS TO GO UNDERWATER.
>>THE WORLD BANK HAS BEEN THE
SINGLE BIGGEST FUNDER
OF BIG DAMS AROUND THE WORLD
SINCE IT WAS SET UP IN THE
1940S.
ONE REASON THE WORLD BANK
REALLY LIKES BIG DAMS IS BIG
DAMS ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE.
THE WORLD BANK HAS TO LEND
ABOUT $20 BILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR.
IF IT CAN'T DO THAT,
THEN IT MAKES LESS PROFITS.
SO WHAT'S THE EASIEST WAY
TO BOOST UP ITS LENDING IS TO
LEND TO THESE HUGE PROJECTS.
IN ALL THE COUNTRIES WHERE IT
OPERATES,
THE WORLD BANK HAS LEGAL
IMMUNITIES.
SO NOBODY CAN TAKE THE WORLD
BANK TO COURT.
SO THE WORLD BANK FINANCES A
PROJECT,
WHICH DESTROYS YOUR LIVELIHOOD,
YOUR HOME,
FLOODS YOUR LAND,
RUINS YOUR LIFE.
YOU CAN'T SUE THE
WORLD BANK FOR THAT.
>>THE WORLD BANK KNOWS HOW
TO SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS IN
ONE PLACE.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPEND A
THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A MILLION
PLACES;
TO SPEND THAT SAME BILLION
DOLLARS AT A MILLION
DIFFERENT VILLAGES.
AND YET,
IN MANY PLACES,
WHAT WE NEED IS NOT A BILLION
DOLLAR ANSWER,
IT'S A THOUSAND DOLLAR ANSWER.
>>CENTURIES AGO,
BUILDINGS WOULD BE BUILT WITH
TANKS IN THE BASEMENT AND WATER
WOULD FALL ON THE ROOF AND THEN
BE ROUTED DOWN TO THE BASEMENT
AND STORED THERE AND PEOPLE ARE
NOW REALIZING,
"YEAH, THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLY
GOOD IDEA."
WHY DO WE SPEND BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS BUILDING SOME HUGE DAM A
HUNDRED MILES AWAY?
WHY DON'T WE JUST TRAP THE
RAINWATER THAT ACTUALLY
FALLS ON THE HOUSE?
I'M NOT ENGINEER.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE WATER.
YOU SEE THAT HILL?
SO WHAT WE CAN DO?
MANGU SAYS,
"I CAN TEACH YOU."
OF MY COUNTRY.
SO THIS HILL AND THAT HILL
WE CAN JOIN WITH THIS WATER
HARVESTING STRUCTURE.
AND ALL WATER COMES THAT
SIDE, SO ALL COLLECT HERE
AND RECHARGES UNDERGROUND
AQUIFERS.
...AND SURFACE.
>>DUE TO THIS WATER
CONSERVATION,
OUR FARMERS ARE TAKING GOOD
TWO, THREE CROPS.
SO NOW THAT MUCH
GRAIN IS COMING.
NOW WE ARE GIVING THE GRAIN
TO THE CITIES.
WE ARE GIVING THE VEGETABLES
TO THE CITIES!
NOW THE CITY PEOPLE ARE
COMING TO MY VILLAGE,
FOR THE EMPLOYMENT.
>>AT THE POINT THAT I LEARNED
ABOUT NESTLE'S INTENTION OF
ESTABLISHING A BOTTLING PLANT
HERE IN MICHIGAN,
I THOUGHT, "NESTLE HERE,
IN THE HEART OF OUR STATE,
BOTTLING WATER,
THIS IS A BIG ONE."
>>THEY'RE PUMPING UPWARDS
OF 450 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IN
ECOLOGICAL TERMS,
IS THAT STREAMS ARE LOWERING,
THAT WHAT USED TO BE BODIES OF
WATER ARE TURNING INTO MUDFLATS,
LAKE LEVELS ARE DROPPING IN THE
VICINITY OF THIS PUMPING SITE.
ADDING INSULT TO INJURY IS THE
FACT THAT NESTLE CORPORATION
DOESN'T PAY ONE CENT FOR THE
WATER THAT THEY EXTRACT.
AND THEY'RE MAKING,
IT'S SPECULATED,
UPWARDS OF $1.8 MILLION DOLLARS
A DAY IN PROFITS OFF OF THAT
WATER, WHICH BELONGS
TO ALL OF US.
>>SO HERE WE ARE IN MICHIGAN,
YOU'VE GOT A COMPANY THAT WANTS
TO PUMP WATER OUT OF A STREAM
SYSTEM, ALRIGHT?
IT DOESN'T OWN THE WATER.
IT HAS A RIGHT TO USE THE
WATER LIKE OTHER LANDOWNERS.
SO THE QUESTION IS,
DOES THEIR RIGHT TO USE MEAN
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO PUT IT
IN A BOTTLE, AND CLAIM
OWNERSHIP, AND SELL IT?
THAT WAS THE BASIC QUESTION.
>>WE ASKED FOR A MORATORIUM
AND SAID,
GIVE THE PEOPLE MORE TIME
TO RESEARCH THIS,
TO FIND OUT,
"IS THIS WHAT THE
COMMUNITY WANTS?"
AND THE TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS
BASICALLY SAID,
"WE KNOW WHAT'S BEST."
>>WHEN CITIZENS HEAR ABOUT
A PROJECT,
YOU CAN BE SURE THE COMPANY'S
BEEN THERE FOR AT LEAST A YEAR
ALREADY.
THEY'VE TALKED WITH EVERYBODY
THEY NEEDED TO TALK TO,
THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN THE
GREEN LIGHT INFORMALLY,
>>NESTLE CORPORATION RECEIVED
$10 MILLION DOLLARS IN TAX
ABATEMENTS OVER TEN YEARS.
SO, NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT PAYING
FOR THE WATER ITSELF,
BUT THEY'RE NOT EVEN
CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOCAL
TAX BASE OF THAT COMMUNITY.
>>AND THE DNR LEASED THAT
PROPERTY TO THEM FOR 99 YEARS
FOR $63,000 DOLLARS.
NOTHING.
>>AND YOU SEE THESE
SEMI-TRUCKS TRAVELING IN,
ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER TO
PICK UP THIS WATER,
WHICH HAS BEEN PUMPED FROM
THE GROUND,
HAS TRAVELED THROUGH
12 MILES OF STAINLESS STEEL
PIPE, THEY'VE TREATED
IT WITH CHEMICALS,
THEY'VE PUT IT IN PLASTIC
BOTTLES, WHICH ARE A
NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE,
THEY'RE POLLUTING OUR
WATERSHEDS THE MOMENT
YOU'VE CONSUMED THE WATER
>>AND I'M SURE A LOT OF
IT WILL END UP RIGHT BACK
UP HERE BECAUSE THEY
SELL ICE MOUNTAIN IN THE AREA,
SO IT'S LUDICROUS.
THEY MAKE SCADS OF MONEY
GIVING OUR WATER BACK TO US.
>>THEY'RE BEING SUED IN
5 STATES.
IN ZEPHYRHILLS,
THEY TOOK SO MUCH WATER,
THAT THERE ARE HUGE
SINKHOLES WHERE THE LAND
IS SINKING.
AND I LIVE ON A FARM
AND I DON'T WANT MY LITTLE
STREAM TO DISAPPEAR.
AND THEY WANT TO PUT MORE
WELLS UP IN EVART.
THIS IS OUR WATER..
>>MY WIFE'S SISTER,
WHEN THEY WERE DOING HER
TESTING LAST YEAR,
SHE RAN OUT OF WATER AT
THAT TIME WHEN THEY WERE
DOING HER SEVEN DAY TEST
AND FOUR DAY TEST.
>>MY NEIGHBOR NEXT TO ME
IS ALMOST OUT OF WATER
AND ALL OF THIS STARTED
AFTER THEY STARTED TESTING
THEIR WELLS.
>>WE'RE FIGHTING THIS
BATTLE, THIS
DAVID & GOLIATH BATTLE.
>>WE ARE HAVING TO HAVE
GARAGE SALES,
AND BAKE SALES,
AND CONCERTS,
AND ALL KINDS OF
LITTLE FUNDRAISERS.
>>THE COURT IS NOW IN SESSION,
THE HONORABLE LAWRENCE C. ROOT
PRESIDES.
YOU MAY BE SEATED.
>>THE U.N. IS SAYING IN
THEIR REPORTS,
BY THE YEAR 2020,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HALF
THE WORLD'S POPULATION
WITHOUT ADEQUATE WATER.
BY GOD, THEY'RE COMING
AFTER MICHIGAN'S WATER.
WHEN NESTLE CAME INTO MICHIGAN,
THEY SAID, "WE'RE A GOOD
CORPORATE CITIZEN,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HURT
ANYTHING.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE."
DURING THE TRIAL,
THE COMPANY KEPT PUMPING
DURING A SEASON OF DROUGHT.
>>ANY OF THE PREDICTED
REDUCTIONS IN FLOW IN DEAD
STREAM WILL HAVE ABSOLUTELY
NO EFFECT ON THAT ECOSYSTEM.
>>THE STREAM AREA IN FRONT
OF ONE OF THE CLIENT'S
HOMES WAS BASICALLY A MUDFLAT.
I CROSS-EXAMINED THE PLANT
MANAGER AND I SAID,
"LOOK AT THESE PICTURES,
THERE'S A MUDFLAT HERE,
DON'T YOU THINK YOU OUGHT
TO STOP PUMPING?"
THEY KEPT PUMPING EVEN THEN.
SOME OF THESE SMALL CHANNELS
THAT FLOW INTO THE LAKE FROM
THESE SPRINGS ALONG THE NORTH
SHORE ALMOST STOPPED FLOWING.
THE REALITY WAS, NO MATTER WHAT
THEY SAID,
THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT
ADVERSE IMPACT AND
THEY KEPT PUMPING.
>>WE HAD A PETITION DRIVE
AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER,
CITIZENS ARE CALLING
ME AND SAYING,
"SOMEONE KNOCKED ON MY DOOR
AND IT WAS A
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR."
>>THEY EVEN HIRED A FIRM
THAT CAME AROUND AND WENT
TO PEOPLES' DOORS, KNOCKED
ON THEIR DOOR AND SAID,
"DID YOU SIGN A PETITION?"
AND CONFRONTED
THESE OLDER FOLKS.
>>WHAT WE DID WAS,
WE SAID,
"LET'S GO BACK IN TIME
AND LOOK AT WHO OWNED
THE WATER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO
IN ROME,
AND HOW HAS THE CIVIL LAW
IN EUROPE AND IN OTHER CULTURES
HANDLED THIS QUESTION OF WATER
OWNERSHIP AND USE."
AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT WATER
HAS ALWAYS HAD A PUBLIC ASPECT
TO IT.
THIS WATER HAS ALWAYS BEEN
CONSIDERED NOT OWNED BY
ANYBODY.
TODAY WE THINK,
"WELL, ISN'T THAT PROFOUND?"
IT'S NOT PROFOUND AT ALL.
I MEAN,
THAT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
YOU LOOK AT THE SUN,
DO YOU OWN THE SUN?
WATER IS THIS TRANSIENT
GIFT ON EARTH FOR LIFE,
MOVING AND FLOWING.
AND INHERENT IN ITS
TRANSIENT NATURE IS THE IDEA
OF COMMONS.
THINGS THAT ARE NOT TRANSIENT,
YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS PEN,
OK, YOU CAN PICK UP AND OWN.
THINGS THAT ARE TRANSIENT,
YOU DON'T OWN.
THE JUDGE RULED,
HE SIMPLY SAID,
"LOOK, A DIVERSION OF WATER FOR
SELLING SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT
DIMINISHES THE FLOW OR LAKE,
THE INTEGRITY OF THIS FLOW OF
WATER, IS UNLAWFUL.
IT CANNOT BE DONE,
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PROPERTY
RIGHT TO DO IT,
AND HE TOLD THEM TO
TURN OFF THE PUMPS.
>>GO AWAY GO AWAY.
COCA-COLA GO AWAY.
COCA-COLA GO AWAY.
NO PEPSI, NO COLA.
WE WANT DRINKING WATER.
NO PEPSI, NO COLA.
WE WANT DRINKING WATER.
>>I FIRST CAME TO
PLACHIMADA LAST YEAR.
MY SISTERS WERE SITTING ALONE,
HAVING PERSISTED FOR A YEAR TO
TELL COKE TO GO HOME.
>>WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS
THAT THESE WOMEN FROM ALL
GENERATIONS ARE BEING PUT
OFF THE LAND BY COCA-COLA,
WHICH IS ACROSS THE ROAD
STEALING THEIR WATER,
BOTTLING THEIR WATER,
POISONING THEIR LAND.
THEIR WELLS ARE RUNNING DRY,
THEIR FOOD ISN'T GOOD ANYMORE,
THE WATER'S IMPOSSIBLE
TO BATHE IN.
SO THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN A
SIT-IN LIKE THIS FOR ALMOST
2 YEARS NOW.
EVERY SINGLE DAY THEY
QUIETLY, WITH GREAT DIGNITY,
COME HERE AND SPEAK THEIR
TRUTH TO THAT POWER
ACROSS THE ROAD.
>>NOBODY IN THIS COUNTRY,
ESPECIALLY THE POOR,
HAVE THE LUXURY TO SIT AT
A TIME WHEN THEY COULD BE
WORKING TO MAKE A LIVING.
AND I KNOW THAT IF OUR
SISTERS AND BROTHERS ARE SITTING
HERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT,
IT IS WITH A REASON.
>>WE COME HERE AS GUESTS TO
BE WITH OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS WHO HAVE BEEN
STRUGGLING.
AND THE MEDIA WILL THEN
REPORT COCA-COLA REFUSED
TO LET THE PEOPLE OF
PLACHIMADA IN. >>MA'AM
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE
QUESTIONING ABOUT YOU
AS A COMPANY.
>>THAT IS A SUBJECT I AM
NOT SUPPOSED TO DEBATE ON.
>>WE HAVE TO WORK HARDER TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE COCA-COLA,
AND PEPSI, AND NESTLE,
LET'S NOT FORGET NESTLE,
IS IN COMMUNITIES,
THEY'RE WATER HUNTERS,
THEY'RE HUNTING WHAT'S LEFT
OF THE PUREST WATER UNDER
THE GROUND ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND THEY'RE DESTROYING
COMMUNITIES IN THEIR WAKE
AND THEY DON'T CARE.
>>WHEN IT COMES TO WATER AND
PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO WATER,
WE ARE ONE COMMON HUMANITY
AND ONE COMMON SURVIVOR.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
CLEAN FRESH WATER AND LOCAL
ENVIRONMENT OF RIVERS,
STREAMS AND GROUNDWATER.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE,
THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE,
AND THAT'S WHY WATER MUST
BE PROTECTED EVERYWHERE.
>>"NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL
GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL COMMITTED
CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.
INDEED, IT'S THE ONLY THING
THAT EVER HAS."
WE ARE PROOF OF THAT.
>>THIS BAND OF PEOPLE IN
MICHIGAN, WHICH GREW FROM A
SMALL BAND TO 1,800 MEMBERS NOW,
AND IT'S GROWING.
AND, THEY'RE CONNECTING
WITH ALL THE OTHER GROUPS IN
NORTH AMERICA AND ELSEWHERE
IN THE WORLD BECAUSE THAT'S
HOW THIS, THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS.
>>IT'S NOT A DEMOCRATIC ISSUE
AND IT'S NOT A REPUBLICAN ISSUE.
IT'S A PEOPLE ISSUE.
LET IT BE CLEAR TO THIS COMPANY,
SUEZ THAT SAYS WE MUST RAISE
THE TARIFFS AND IF WE DON'T,
THEY WILL LEAVE.
IF THEY WISH TO GO, THEY CAN.
THE PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHAT THEY
HAVE TO DO.
>>THE FIGHT AGAINST WATER
PRIVATIZATION IS AN
INTERNATIONAL STRUGGLE AND
WE WILL FIGHT BECAUSE THERE'S
ONLY ONE THING TO DO.
EITHER WE FIGHT OR WE DIE,
AND I SAY WE FIGHT.
>>WHAT IF WE WORK IN
HARMONY WITH WATER?
BECAUSE DON'T WE WANT OUR
CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN'S
CHILDREN TO SHARE TIME WITH
ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL LIFE FORMS?
I MEAN, DO WE COME HERE TO
SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME LIVING
IN NON-LIVING BOXES?
AND WHY ARE WE HERE?
>>THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THE
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT
THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDREN,
AND THE FUTURE OF OTHER SPECIES,
THE FUTURE OF ENTIRE ECOSYSTEMS
IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF HOW WE
HUMANS INTERFERE WITH HOW THE
PLANET OPERATES AS A SYSTEM.
WE WANT TO LEAVE A POSITIVE
LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE
GENERATIONS.
NOT A DISASTER,
WHICH THEY ARE TO FIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN, BUT IT'S GOT
TO COME FROM,
AT SOME LEVEL, FROM
INTROSPECTION, RIGHT?
IT'S GOT TO COME,
ULTIMATELY,
FROM EVERYBODY ASKING HIMSELF
AND HERSELF WHAT REALLY
MATTERS TO THEM AND
MAKING A CHANGE,
OR TAKING SOME ACTION THAT
IS CONSISTENT WITH
WHAT REALLY MATTERS.
>>THE ONLY WAY TO PUSH FOR
THESE CHANGES IS IF EVERYONE
GETS INVOLVED,
AND I THINK THE TRUE SOLUTION
TO WATER PROBLEMS ARE
ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE LOCAL.
THAT'S THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE.
>>IT IS NOT AN ISSUE OF LACK
OF KNOWLEDGE.
IT IS A LACK OF POLITICAL WILL.
WE HAVE TO COLLECTIVELY FIND
THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO WHAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SAVE THE
WORLD'S WATER SOURCES.
>>IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO,
WE NEED TO PASS A POSITIVE
MESSAGE TO THE CHILDREN,
YOU KNOW?
AND WITH THINGS LIKE WATER,
AND THE MOON,
AND THE STARS,
THESE ARE ALL PRECIOUS GIFTS
THAT WE ARE GIVEN.
AND I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL
STORY FOR THE KIDS TO HEAR.
WHAT I'M TEACHING TO THE KIDS
IS THAT,
LET'S STAND UP AND FIGHT.
YOU KNOW, ONE DAY,
YOU ARE GOING TO CHANGE THIS,
AND YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE
THIS COMMUNITY A BETTER ONE.
>>WHEN THEY CAME IN THIS AREA
TO DRILL THE WELLS FOR US,
WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD
GET SUCH KIND OF CLEAN WATER.
EVERYONE IS USING IT NOW.
>>THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT
CAN BE DONE, BIG AND SMALL.
THIS PLAYPUMP, IT'S PUT DOWN
WHERE THERE'S GROUNDWATER,
AND THE CHILDREN RIDING ON THIS,
THEY BRING THE WATER UP INTO
THIS HUGE TANK, WHICH THEN
STORES THE WATER FOR THE
COMMUNITY.
>>MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING AT RAINWATER HARVESTING
AS A PART OF THE SOLUTIONS,
A WAY TO REALLY MANAGE OVER
CONSUMPTION OF THE AQUIFER.
IN FACT,
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF HOMES
IN THE AUSTIN AREA OF THE HILL
COUNTRY THAT RELY ON RAINWATER
COLLECTION SYSTEMS FOR THEIR
WATER SUPPLIES.
IT WORKS VERY SIMPLY;
THE WATER IS CAUGHT ON THE
ROOFTOP AND IS COLLECTED IN
THE GUTTERS AND TAKEN TO A
CISTERN, OR VERY LARGE STORAGE
CONTAINER.
AND BY BALANCING THE SIZE OF
THE ROOF WITH THE SIZE OF THE
TANK WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
IN THE HOUSE,
THE OVERALL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
CAN MANAGE THE UPS AND DOWNS OF
DRY AND WET PERIODS AND PROVIDE
A VERY RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY.
>>THERE IS A ROLE FOR EVERYONE
BECAUSE WE NEED AN ORGANIZED
ARMY OF WATER ACTIVISTS IN EVERY
SINGLE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS.
THE FIRST THING THAT WE NEED
TO DO IS GET FEDERAL LEGISLATION
THAT ESTABLISHES A FEDERAL TRUST
FUND TO FIX OUR AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE, 1.5 MILLION
MILES OF IT,
MUCH OF IT MORE THAN A HUNDRED
YEARS OLD.
AND WE SHOULD REMEMBER IT WAS
COMMUNITY LEADERS AT THE TURN
OF THE 20TH CENTURY WHO HAD
THE VISION AND FORESIGHT TO
FIGHT FOR THE FEDERAL DOLLARS
TO BUILD THE PIPES THAT GAVE
US UNIVERSAL SERVICE FOR WATER,
IF THEY DID IT, WE CAN DO IT.
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