The Future of Water: Watch the documentary if you haven’t seen it yet

No society can escape the power of water. Civilisations have been shaped by river and developed on the banks of mighty rivers. They were also destroyed when the rivers changed course or dried up. Huge projects designed to exploit water are changing the face of the earth and growing tension over water will decide the relationship between states and determine the course of war and peace.

These powerful words, or words to that effect, are from the commentary of an award-winning documentary series in 2008. The Future of Water is available on Netflix and is recommended viewing for those who want to understand the issue. The documentary is a global journey that flits from Egypt to Netherland, from Spain to the Himalayas, from Greenland to Tibet and the Indus.

The richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor, the documentary points out, need the same quantity of water to survive. But the distribution of water has always been unequal with the rich able to access as much water as they desire. While millions of people in Africa and Asia walk long distances every day to collect water, water bars cater to the rich with stylish brands of bottled water from all parts of the world.

The documentary records how states tend to flex their muscle to get water. For many it might be a revelation that of all people, Nelson Mandela ordered the bombing of a dam in Lesotho in 1998. It was all about water supply from Lesotho to Johannesburg. Just as Tibet is the water tower for South Asia, Lesotho, with a small population of a few million but with plenty of water, is the water tower for the region.

South Africa entered into a water treaty with Lesotho to ensure water supply to Johannesburg and adjoining areas. People in Lesotho were incensed and felt there was a sell-out, forcing the government to renege on the treaty. This in turn led to military action by South Africa, which threatened to bomb the all important dam till status quo was restored.

The documentary was prescient in predicting conflicts over water in the Nile basin. While Egypt and Sudan, it pointed out, had been using most of the Nile water, the mighty river covered 5000 kilometres and went through eight African countries before reaching Egypt. Lack of resources prevented other countries like Ethiopia to use the water to irrigate their own land. But the last decade and a half have witnessed increasing investment by the Chinese for building water infrastructure, dams and canals in these countries. There will be less and less water available for Egypt and Sudan. How would they respond?

The unfolding tragedy can be felt closer home. The documentary series quotes a minister from Bangladesh saying that it would suffer the consequences of India’s ambitious river-linking project. “We have apprised India of our concerns. But India is a big and powerful country. They don’t listen to us. What can we do? We have left it to Allah. The Lord’s will be done,” the minister from Bangladesh adds.

On the other hand, Europe is struggling to keep out the ocean from claiming ancient cities like Venice. In Netherland, much of which is below the sea level, pumps work round the clock to keep out water and ensure dry land can be used for agriculture and construction. Norway has a small population and surplus water and farmers are increasingly tempted to earn extra by putting up micro units to generate power and sell it.

There are several remarkable documentaries on water available on the Net. Future of Water remains among the most popular even a decade after its release.