Stephen Schwarzman, the American private equity billionaire and chairman of Blackstone, has drawn local attention by trucking in up to 13,000 gallons of water daily to his 2,100-acre Conholt Park estate near Andover, Wiltshire, amid a regional drought and hosepipe bans affecting neighboring communities.

Conholt Park, which Schwarzman purchased for £82 million four years ago, is supplied by Wessex Water and is not currently subject to hosepipe restrictions. However, the estate is located within the southern England area recently designated by the Environment Agency as experiencing drought conditions following the warmest spring on record.

Last year, the estate acknowledged using a "small proportion" of water supplied by tankers to fill an ornamental lake on the property. This use prompted Southern Water to ban the involved delivery companies from accessing the utility’s standpipes. Although the lake has since been filled, water deliveries continue, reportedly to irrigate newly planted trees across the grounds.

Neighbors have expressed frustration, noting the contrast between the estate’s well-watered greenery and their own gardens, many of which are suffering under mandatory water restrictions. Steve Kershaw, a long-term resident of the nearby village of Tangley, described the situation as a source of "uproar," saying the lush appearance of the estate grounds stands out amid the parched local environment. Other residents have questioned the origin of the tanker water and why water used to fill the lake is not being repurposed for current landscaping needs.

Conversely, some locals have defended Schwarzman, highlighting his contributions to the local economy and environment, including job creation, cooperation with local authorities, and recent tree planting initiatives. Sources close to Schwarzman maintain that the water being brought to the estate is obtained lawfully through licensed suppliers and does not impact local water resources.

The tanker company Greens H20, whose 30,000-litre trucks have been observed making frequent deliveries to Conholt Park, did not respond to inquiries. There is currently no indication that the water deliveries violate any laws or regulations, though the situation continues to provoke debate in the surrounding communities grappling with drought-induced restrictions.