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An important part of urban planning is water resource management. Cities need water in order to develop and survive, however, like many public planning issues, water can be a decisive issue. The film Chinatown revolves around water rights in 1937 Los Angeles. Water, an essential resource necessary for human survival, is scarce during a drought in the growing city on the edge of a desert. A commodity even more important than money, water is a recurring motif throughout the film. Inspired by historical events, Chinatown shows us how the issue of public water distribution is important in urban planning and development, and more philosophically, how planning can really be about life and death.
In a recent article about urban planning in The Guardian, Sue Illman wonders if water management is emphasized enough by urban planners. Water management in the past has focused on two issues, getting water to the people when they need it, for drinking and other uses, and getting water away from people for safety reasons, like flooding. These issues are of concern in Chinatown, One of the central questions of the movie is if water belongs to the people, or if it should be controlled by individuals and exploited for profit. Without the dams, aqueducts and other forms of public planning and water management, the city of Los Angeles would not exist today as we know it. One of the corrupt villains in the film says that “you either you bring the water to L.A. or you bring L.A. to the water.” Cities require any major substantial amounts of water for household use, drinking recreation and industrial uses.
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At the beginning of the film, there is scene featuring a public debate about water allocation. While most individuals in society are not interested in how water gets to them, they just turn on the faucet and get water. However, many people rely on water for other reason, such as farmers, factory owners, and business leaders. The politics of water distribution effects all people from socioeconomic group. The film focuses on a “water war” between urban residents and famers and the more powerful city residents want to divert the water from farming communities along the river valley. This is a good example of how politics and philosophy can be involved in public planning. It is not just architecture, it is about sustainability and equality. This is an issue that public planners continue to address today, just as it did in the 1920’s, public resources need to be distributed equitably, but the rich and powerful are often able to manipulate public planning to their advantage. The general public is often not even aware of the debates on public planning, even though it effects them personally and collectively.
A character in the film, named Hollis Mulwray is based on William Mulholland, the head of the L.A. water department who planned the city water infrastructure when it was rapidly
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growing in the early 20th century. He designed the cinematically famous L.A. aqueduct, the long concrete waterways, which led to the disputes known as the Owens Valley California Water Wars (Mulholland 6). Like Mulwray, Mulholland had his share of scandals, and his career ended when a dam collapsed shortly after he had conducted a safety inspection. Interestingly enough, another famous L.A. film landmark, Mulholland drive, is named after him. Water really is important in L.A. (Barringer).
Furthermore, the cinematography of Chinatown focused on water. There are ponds, pools and streams and despite being set in a city, most of the film it has a distinctly rural landscape. The palm trees, diversion channels and orchards are all part of an agricultural world that is competing against the city for water. The orchards and farmlands that surround the city look hungry for water.
In conclusion, the ethical and equitable distribution of water is as serious issue today as it was in the 1920’s, during the Owens Valley Water Wars. As countries around the world develop, and cities continue to grow larger, safe water is essential. The future of communities, both rural and urban, always depend on the availability of water. (Pearson 48). Chinatown is a detective murder mystery, but a huge part of the story is about the history and future of Los Angeles, which was and still is dependent on water. As the film show, ultimately, water is more important than money, because it is a matter of life and death. Urban planners need to make sure that water management is fair and equitable, because the fair use of resources is a central component of urban planning.
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Works Cited
Barringer, Felicity. "The Water Fight That Inspired 'Chinatown'" Green The Water Fight That Inspired Chinatown Comments. New York Time, 8 Nov. 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
Finley, Allysia. "California's Water Fight." The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 5 Aug. 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2014
Illman, Sue. "Water Sensitive Design: Integrating Water with Urban Planning." The Guardian. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/water-sensitive-design-urban-planning>.
Kwong, Peter, and Min Zhou. "Chinatown: The Socioeconomic Potential of an Urban Enclave." Contemporary Sociology 22.4 (1993): 562. Web.
Mulholland, Catherine. William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles. Berkeley: U of California, 2000. Print.
Pearson, Roger. "Urban Water Management." Urban Water Management. State of California, 5 Oct. 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
