FLOW: For Love of Water Highlights Impending Global Water Crisis

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FLOW: For Love of Water Highlights Impending Global Water Crisis

Local Experts to Lead Discussion of L.A.-area Water Issues

Los Angeles, CA—The L.A. area is in a near-constant state of water shortages and droughts. Water supplies cannot keep up with an exploding population, and conservation measures, such as the recently re-launched Drought Buster program, are being instituted to attempt to rein in the crisis. Other solutions are being sought, too; a private company now has all necessary permits to begin building a controversial desalination plant in Carlsbad. But desalination is expensive and threatens marine environments, and creates an opportunity for corporate, profit-motivated control of water resources. With demand ever increasing, the area’s water supply, and citizens’ public control of it, will continue to be in a state of instability.

Irena Salina’s new film, FLOW: For Love of Water, shows that these are not isolated problems – water is becoming a major battleground all over the world. From privatization to pollution, large corporations are abusing and exploiting water resources, rendering them inaccessible to those who need them most. As a global water crisis looms and water is coming to be known as the “new oil,” FLOW provides a clear look at the issues we face relating to water.

FLOW will open in Los Angeles as part of a nationwide tour this week. The opening screening will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 12 at the Laemmle Sunset 5, at 8000 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046. Panelists from Food & Water Watch and other organizations will be on hand following the screening to discuss how these issues are relevant locally. [See below for a complete list of speakers and screening dates].

“Every human and community on earth has a right to access clean, affordable water,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. “Yet due to privatization, underfunding, pollution and other causes many do not have the clean water they need at affordable prices.  FLOW illustrates how these problems are interconnected and what we might do to resolve them.”


Friday, 09/12 Panel Discussion (after 7:30 p.m. screening)
Steven Starr, Producer of FLOW
Renee Maas, Food & Water Watch
Janine Hamner, Corporate Accountability
Paula Daniels, Los Angeles Commissioner of Public Works

Saturday, 09/13 Matinee (after 3 p.m. screening)
Miguel Luna, Urban Semillas

Saturday, 09/13 Panel Discussion (after 7:30 p.m. screening)
Steven Starr, Producer of FLOW
David Nahai, Los Angeles Department Of Water & Power
Dorothy Green, Heal The Bay

Sunday, 09/14 Matinee (after 3 p.m. screening)
Steve Fleischli, Santa Monica Waterkeeper

Sunday, 09/14 Evening (after 7:30 p.m. screening)
Tom Ford, Santa Monica Baykeeper

Wednesday, 09/17 Evening (after 7:30 p.m. screening)
Pearl Abarca, Engineers Without Borders
Nick Fontaine, Engineers Without Borders

Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer rights organization based in Washington, D.C. that challenges the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources. Visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org.