WATER MAKES MONEY
How private companies make money with water
A film by Leslie Franke and Herdolor Lorenz
A co-production of Kernfilm and La Mare aux Canards and Achille du Genestoux, in collaboration with AQUATTAC and ZDF/ARTE, supported by Filmförderung Hamburg-Schleswig-Holstein
Beside the air that we breathe, water is the most important commodity for mankind as well as for animals and plants. On July 27, 2010, access to clean water was incorporated into the Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly. And yet, water is increasingly subjected to business interests of private companies that are obligated to nobody except the well-being of their shareholders. This isn't merely a problem in third-world and developing countries. Wherever financially weak municipalities are seeking financial relief, the two of the world's largest water companies, VEOLIA and SUEZ, are knocking at their door. Together, the form a obtuse duopoly which for example provides water to about 80% of the population of France. The consequences: dramatically increasing costs for the consumers, lack of transparency and often also corruption. But the global players have been learning their lesson. They deny that they have anything to do with privatization. They give their new business models resonant names like "Public Private Partnership" or "Cross Border Leasing". But the impact has remained the same.
read more: www.watermakesmoney.org
