Water boss who warned of 'shortages' has four loos and steam room in mansion

02 December 2023 , 20:28

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Vanda Murray's firm issued customers with water saving tips

A water firm boss who warned of shortages due to changing weather patterns has four toilets and a steam room at her luxury home.

Vanda Murray said Yorkshire Water must “respond to the challenges of climate change”. Her firm has issued customers with water saving tips – and last year imposed a hosepipe ban, which was later lifted. Yet a floor plan of Ms Murray’s Cheshire mansion shows the four toilets and steam room, as well as a wine store, games room and snug.

Last week it emerged the firm had paid out £1million to charity for polluting Hookstone Beck in Harrogate in 2016, killing 1,500 fish – prior to Ms Murray’s appointment as chair in 2021. Yorkshire Water was also hit with a £19.8m penalty over failing to meet key targets. The firm’s 5.7 million customers are set to receive the money in a rebate.

Ms Murray earns £283,000 a year as chair of the firm, and is a member of its safety, health and environment committee. In the 2021-2 annual report and financial statements, she warned: “Climate change has a profound effect on our services. We are already seeing the impact of more volatile weather, and this is testing the resilience of our assets.

“All the climate projections show that we will have less water available to serve a growing population – and therefore we will have to become more efficient, reducing losses through leakage as well as working with our customers to help them use less.” She said the projections were “at the centre of our long-term water resources management plan.”

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Taking up her post two years ago, Ms Murray said it was “an important time… as we start work with other Yorkshire anchor institutions and with our customers to respond to the challenges of climate change and build resilience.” Yorkshire Water declined to comment.

Simon Murphy