Billionaire Stephen Schwarzman is reportedly trucking up to 13,000 gallons of water every day to his Wiltshire estate. This massive delivery occurs while local residents in southern England face strict drought-related water restrictions.
The £82 million Conholt Park irrigation dilemma
Stephen Schwarzman, the 79-year-old chairman of Blackstone, is currently managing a massive 2,100-acre estate known as Conholt Park near Andover. The property, which Schwarzman purchased for £82 million just four years ago , has become a focal point of local tension due to its intensive water usage during a period of extreme weather. As the Environment Agency recently identified southern England as a drought area, the sight of continuous water deliveries has highlighted the vast resource gap between the ultra-wealthy and the general public.
The estate is supplied by Wessex Water and is not currently under a formal hosepipe ban. However, the scale of the operation—trucking in thousands of gallons daily—has created a sense of injustice among those living nearby. As reported by The Mail on Sunday, the billionaire's personal fortune is estimated at roughly £30 billion, a figure that stands in stark contrast to the struggling gardens of his neighbors.
How Greens H20 tankers bypass Southern Water's previous bans
The current water deliveries appear to be a workaround following a previous dispute involving the estate's ornamental lake. Last year, the estate admitted to using tankered water to fill the lake, an action that prompted Southern Water to ban the specific delivery companies involved from using its standpipes. despite this restriction , the report says the lake is now full, yet large lorries continue to arrive at the property.
The tanker firm Greens H20, which utilizes 30,000-litre trucks, has been spotted making these daily visits to the estate. while the water is reportedly being used to irrigate newly planted trees across the grounds, the method of delivery remains a point of contention. The firm declined to comment on the specific nature of their daily operations at Conholt Park.
The visual divide between Tangley's brown gardens and Schwarzman's green lawns
Local residents in the nearby village of Tangley are witnessing a striking environmental disparity. Steve Kershaw, a resident of forty years, noted that while ordinary gardens in the area have become "bleached and brown ," the lawns at the Schwarzman estate remain remarkably green.. This visual contrast has led to local derision, with some community members referring to the billionaire as "Lord Lake" due to the controversy surrounding his water usage.
The frustration in the community is compounded by the fact that water companies are actively monitoring and contacting locals who have been reported for using hosepipes. Residents have expressed confusion as to why the massive tanker loads arriving at the estate are not being subjected to the same level of scrutiny as a standard household garden hose.
Who is supplying the 13,000 gallons of daily water?
Several critical questions remain unanswered regarding the legality and origin of the water being moved to Conholt Park.. While a source close to Schwarzman claims that all water is sourced lawfully through licensed providers to ensure local resources are not affected, the specific origin of the water remains unverified.. Furthermore, neighbors have questioned why the estate does not utilize the nine million litres of water already contained within its ornamental lake rather than requesting constant new deliveries.
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