“FLOW: For the Love Of Water,” a documentary about water rights, pollution and privatization was shown on Oakland University’s Oakland Center Thursday, April 3.

The film’s overall message is to raise awareness that there is a problem in regards to water and that something must be done until it becomes very serious.

The movie showed that even in the United States, tap water is not always safe.

“The United States does not keep active records of how many people get sick from our water supply per year. There are estimates that 500,000 to seven million that get sick per year from drinking tap water,” said Erik Olson, a former senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.    

In global terms, the movie said the effects of chemicals in water ranges from birth defects in Mexico, fertility declines in Europe in areas that use pesticides heavily and Tasmanian cancer rates shooting up 200% after heavy usage of pesticides.

The movie also discussed whether anyone can own water, and it tied into Michigan locally.

Part of the film focused on Nestle and their bottling plant in Mecosta County and how the residents reacted.

“They’re pumping upwards of 450 gallons per minute,” said Holly Wren Spaulding, a journalist. “What that means in ecological terms is that streams are lowering and what used to be bodies of water turned into mudflats.”

“Adding insult to injury is the fact that Nestle doesn’t pay one cent for the water that they extract. They’re making it’s speculated upwards up to $1.8 million in profit,” she said.

Nestle was taken to court, and the case was brought to the Michigan Supreme Court, but they ruled in favor of Nestle. Nestle’s claim was that it was unconstitutional for a citizen to sue them unless their own property was affected.

Senior Katie McDowell came out with different view after watching the movie.

“To be honest I came here for extra credit for a class and I was expected to be bored but it was more interesting than I expected. I was impressed,” said McDowell.

Senior Sean Buono, President of the Grizzdance Film Festival said he first saw the film in Waterfront Film Festival last summer.

“It caught my eye and it’s very interesting. I contacted Oscilloscope Laboratories and it just went from there,” said Buono, about how the film was brought to OU.