Sometimes we enjoy a sunset over a lake. Other times, we might just want a drink of
water. Regardless, water is an essential resource and yet it is one seriously under
threat. What Lies Upstream is a documentary by Cullen Hoback about the contamination
of the nation’s water. It opens with a chemical spill on the Elk River in West Virgina and
goes on to investigate the lead contamination in Flint, Michigan. Through interviews
with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, health officials, and an
EPA whistleblower, the film reveals how science is often covered up and existing
regulations frequently not enforced.
The film is critical of several agencies dealing with the environmental and human
health. It shows them to be heavily politicized as well as strongly influenced by
lobbyists. This is illustrated by a scene in which several lobbying groups are present
while bill dealing with water quality is being written. As a result, much of the public
trust has been compromised and Hoback refers to the bureaucracy as a “broken
system.”
Nevertheless, he also says it is one that can be “rebuilt.” While the film focuses
on two major contaminations, a revelation towards the end shows that the spills which
garner national attention are far from the only concern.
The film is effective as an expose on the lack of accountability on the part of both
private companies and government agencies. It also shows the the exent to which one of
our most fundamental resources is being threatened and states that we are all
“downstrem from something.”
The Nature Journal 