Aired 2006-07. 1-800-537-3394www.ucc.org

Presented by the National Council of Churches USA Produced by the United Church of Christ

For more information: http://www.troubledwatersdoc.com.

It's easy for some of us to take water for granted. It's always available from our faucet and we have a wide selection of brands of bottled water to choose from in stores. But with continuing increases in the world's population, water resources are being strained as never before. It's a dwindling natural resource that is turning what should be a basic human right into a commodity to be bought and sold. These forces have threatened the well-being of poor communities across the globe.

Water pollution and water-related illnesses have also become world plagues. On average, more people die each year from water borne diseases than from being killed in wars. It's clear we are standing on the brink of a global water crisis.

This documentary will examine these issues through the eyes of people who are struggling with this crisis everyday in the United States and around the world. It will also take a look at the theological side of water. Christians, Jews and Muslims all use water as a central theological element. Water is an important element in the ritualistic life of communities around the globe, intimately tied to its place in God's plan for humankind. International religious leaders express their concerns about the water crisis and what role they will play in preserving water, one of God's greatest gifts, for future generations.