Suez’s Attempts at Film Censorship on Par with its 
Management of Water Resources: a Failure 


Statement of Food & Water Europe Executive Director Wenonah Hauter

Brussels – This week, a French court rejected a defamation lawsuit brought by Suez Water against the documentary film FLOW. Food & Water Europe applauds the court for its commitment to upholding the rights of the media to scrutinize the activities of multinational corporations, especially when those activities compromise the ability of millions of people around the world to access a vital natural resource.

“With 1.2 billion people around the world lacking access to safe, clean, affordable water, it is unconscionable that a company as powerful as Suez would choose to use its considerable influence to obscure the facts behind this crisis.

“Of course, given the company’s checkered performance in water resource management, their reaction to the film is less than surprising. From Bolivia to Indonesia, Suez has left a trail of sewage overflows, contaminated drinking water, decaying infrastructure, political scandals and other examples of botched management in the wake of its attempt to profit off of local water systems around the globe.

“We hope this decision will inspire activists to join Food & Water Europe as we continue our mission to expose and challenge the abuse of essential public water resources around the world.”

Food & Water Europe is a program of Food & Water Watch, Inc., a non-profit consumer NGO based in Washington, D.C., working to ensure clean water and safe food in Europe and around the world. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.

Contact: Gabriella Zanzanaini, +32488409662, gzanzanaini(at)fweurope.org