Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
Water The Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay. Documentary about the global uses & abuses of water. Shot on location in numerous countries. Originally shot on Super 16mm. Letterboxed widescreen (more than likely 1.66:1) version.
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
TLS street traffic, congestion in Mirzapur, India. MSs muddy water being hoisted in bucket from well or sewer grate, contents being dumped onto street, then men using pump to spew filthy water from well or sewer onto street. Great LS shimmering water of Ganges River, tilt up to sprawling ghat on shore. LS/TLSs bustling street traffic scene in Mirzapur, India (bicycle taxis, mopeds, etc). MS Scott Gibbons sitting at desk in office, typing on computer. Mr. Gibbons says "The Mirzapur municipality was bankrupt, so the most important thing was to get control over the municipal administrative records." H/a TLS Indian man entering cramped, musty municipal office with files under each arm; great tilt down MS hundreds of files stacked to ceiling & on floor of office. L/A TLS Mirzapur street scene (vendor cart, children walking, pedestrians, truck). TLS Indian women & children sitting outside ramshackle house, chickens wandering about. MSs Indian man filling suspended bag with water via siphon hose in garbage-strewn field.
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
MS/CUs illegal water tap on street in Mirzapur, India. MS Mayor of Mirzapur D. U. Bey preparing to sign papers. Mayor Bey says "Until we strengthen our financial position, it is useless to adopt the system. What can we do w/ it when we cannot maintain it properly? So we have to increase our income in any circumstance & that s what we re trying to do. MS/CUs Scott Gibbons & Indian men working at computers. Mr. Gibbons discusses Municipal Geographic Information System. CU computer screen running program. MS ceiling fan spinning, tilt down to MS Indian men sitting at table, taking money for water bill; CU Indian money being exchanged, passing hands, being counted. MS/CUs Narayan Jaiswal washing dishes at tap on street; Ms. Jaiswal says "We wish that water should come running all 24 hours. That means in the kitchen, toilet & all other places, the running water would be directly available all the time. And whatever tax we have to pay we have no objection. For that water we are all ready to pay, since there are lots of problems to get running water."
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
TLS water tower in Mirzapur, India, tilt down to village of dilapidated shacks (shanties, slum) in Pakki, Sarrai. MSs residents pumping water, drinking & cleaning themselves. TLS Indian woman sweeping street w/ straw broom. TLS street drains in slum. MS/CUs Indian woman bathing screaming child at pump on street. LS setting sun partially obscured by sooty clouds, tilt down to reflection of sun in shimmering water of Ganges River. Secretary General of the United Nations KOFI ANNAN says I think if we manage to improve our water management system & do it in cooperative manner, we might be able to reduce the cost of water to the poor, particularly when you consider most of them do not have clean pipe born water." Body Shop founder ANITA RODDICK says "There s a consistently strong argument that there is value when you pay for it. But we ve always paid for it anyway. We ve paid for it through our rates. That would maybe a bit more anonymous, but there s always been water rates & an electricity rate. My notion isn t about freedom. It s that the rich will always have more."
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
Panning LS scenic stretch of snow-capped Andes Mountains in Chile. LSs downtown Santiago, Chile, as viewed from overlooking hills. TLS parking lot, quaint shopping center. MS stout old Chilean woman walking along fish market. MS/CUs men using soap & water to clean platform beneath scale. MS Chilean man singing & whistling, playing folk song on acoustic guitar (note the capo) in marketplace. TLS pedestrians crossing bridge over river. TLS/MSs wastewater (water pollution) pouring into basin. Margarita Arenas of Chile says "I live near the swamp & the water problem really effects me. When the river is low, the water has a nasty smell. My daughter gets stomach & headaches when she drinks it. Upstream in El Palar a lot of animals have died. And everyone is having problems with water with planting time. No one has work, lots of people are without a job.
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
TLS/LSs water basins at water treatment facility in Chile. MS debris (including a doll s arm) floating in polluted water. Fernando Sandoval Salas says As a Chilean professional I find it difficult to have foreign capital invest in our sewage plants. We don t like the fact that our company is going to be sold. But we understand that it is necessary b/c there is a lot of money needed to be invested. That means that the price of water will rise. We have to accept that. It s for the good of everyone. Also good for the farmers who will be able to use treated water for their plants." LSs waterways in downtown Santiago steering water from city; MS/CU Chilean businessman (Gonzalo Frigerio) reading newspaper by conduit; Mr. Frigerio says "The newspapers have printed that EMOS, a subsidiary of a French water company, will increase the price of the water. That increase in price will be used to decontaminate the waters of the rivers of Santiago.One of the biggest problems is sewage treatment. These waters are not being treated at the moment. This increase in the price will be used to finance the building of the sewage treatment plants in Santiago. I think it s a good thing, but it will sure have an impact on the budget of the poor people." TLS/LSs conduits carrying fresh & wastewater.
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
Body Shop founder ANITA RODDICK says "But it s always the wealthy will be able to afford everything & I just think, What about the anonymous, majority people? If you take a look at that in this country & you exploit that to the majority world, Africa or Asia or wherever & more torn areas or natural disaster areas, they re the sufferers now." Journalist ISABEL ALLENDE says "The reality is that there is overpopulation & the resources are limited. So obviously water is priced & sometimes very highly depending on where it is. In most cities it is priced highly & it that will happen more & more. And we have to be aware of it & accept it as one of the awful things of life. I hope that air will not be also rationed & paid for." Secretary-General of the United Nations KOFI ANNAN says "If there is one area where equity is crucial & essential, I think it should be on the issue of water." Former Prime Minister of Israel SHIMON PERES says "Water & politics are two things in contradiction. Rains don't follow the customs, rivers don't follow the frontiers, wells don't drop out - jump out - of nothing. And actually the politics are limiting the availability of water." Actor/activist TED DANSON says I think one of the problems in life is that it s you against me, it s us against them, they re different than I am, they don t matter, I don t matter-that kind of thinking leads you to think that you don t make a difference so you do things you shouldn t do.
Water, the Drop of Life Part 4: A Price to Pay
MS water pouring from pump, two older Arab men standing beside it. MSs Middle Eastern men paying water bill at office, clerks behind glass window; CU (foreign) money in clerk s drawer; MS Middle Eastern man punching numbers onto desktop calculator. Zooming out LS manmade harbor in river. LSs massive construction site project in Middle East. Panning TLS water trickling from spout & down angled dam wall. Rear view MSs two Turkish soldiers wearing camouflage fatigues & armed w/ assault rifles standing guard on Ataturk Dam.