Stephen Schwarzman, the American billionaire co-founder of Blackstone, is drawing criticism from his neighbors in Wiltshire, England, for trucking as much as 13,000 gallons of water daily to his estate. The shipments arrive while the region faces drought conditions and hosepipe bans, and amid a prohibition on water tanker companies filling up from local mains.
The estate, Conholt Park, is located near Andover and falls within a southern England drought area. While Wessex Water supplies the estate and it is not currently under a hosepipe ban, neighbors have expressed frustration over the conspicuous use of water for landscaping.
Last year, the estate reportedly used water from tankers to fill an ornamental lake, a move that led Southern Water to ban the involved delivery companies from using its standpipes. Although the lake is now full, the estate is reportedly using tankered water from an undisclosed source to water newly planted trees on its 2,100-acre grounds.
Neighbors have voiced their discontent, with one resident noting that water companies have been contacting locals about hosepipe use while questioning the source and destination of Schwarzman's tanker deliveries. "If he needs water, why can't he use some of the nine million litres he's poured into his lake?" one anonymous resident asked.
However, some neighbors have defended Schwarzman, citing his contributions to the local economy through job creation and community engagement. A source close to Schwarzman stated that he is "ensuring that local water resources are not affected" and that all water brought to the estate is sourced lawfully through licensed providers.
Schwarzman, who has an estimated fortune of £30 billion, purchased Conholt Park four years ago for £82 million. The tanker firm Greens H20, whose trucks have been observed making daily deliveries, did not respond to requests for comment.