Hosepipe ban firm chair has mansion by LOCH - as customers can't fill paddling pools

The fat cat chair of a hosepipe ban water firm stopping customers filling paddling pools enjoys a £1.25million mansion next to a loch.

Failing Southern Water became the latest firm to slap households with a ban due to dry weather – impacting nearly a million customers. While restrictions will prevent people using a hosepipe for a host of reasons including filling a paddling pool, the firm’s chairman Keith Lough could opt to take a dip in the loch next to his luxury pad. The beautiful seven-bed even boasts a tennis court and sizable pond in the generous grounds. Mr Lough, appointed in 2019, earned a cool £307,500 in emoluments in 2024-5 – up from £305,800 the year before.

In 2021, Southern Water was hit with a £90million fine after pleading guilty to thousands of illegal discharges of sewage polluting coastal waters and rivers. The firm admitted “widespread and long term breaches of environmental law… between 2010 and 2015”, the Environment Agency said. And Southern Water has been among firms ordered by an industry watchdog to return millions to customers in lower bills after falling short on targets. Southern Water had a £31.9million underperformance penalty for 2023-4, the fourth highest, figures from regulator Ofwat show.

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Southern Water was categorised by Ofwat as “lagging behind”. Meanwhile, Mr Lough and his wife own the picturesque property Renfrewshire, Scotland. They are in the process of selling the pile, which comes complete with a converted barn and one-bed cottage, with a sale said to be agreed.

Southern Water's hosepipe ban, which covers large parts of Hampshire and all of the Isle of Wight, comes into force on Monday at 9am. It followed bans announced by South East Water, Thames Water and Yorkshire Water. James Wallace, CEO of campaigning charity River Action, said: “Southern Water is urging customers to act immediately to avoid a spike in demand – but it’s the water industry that’s failed to act for decades. Despite clear warnings about climate change and long-forecast droughts, no new reservoirs have been built in over 30 years. Now, customers face hosepipe bans, £1,000 fines, regulator-documented failures, and soaring bills – while the industry’s leadership enjoy handsome salaries.”

A Southern Water spokesperson said: “Keith has been Chairman of Southern Water throughout a period of successful turnaround. He’s played a key role in securing unprecedented shareholder investment that’s now funding the new infrastructure and performance improvements our customers want. The Chairman’s pay is decided by the Remuneration Committee, with a majority membership of independent non-executive directors, and in accordance with relevant rules.”

Meanwhile, it has emerged Labour is to promise families will no longer face the prospect of “huge shock hikes” in water bills after a complete sector overhaul. On Monday, Environment Secretary Steve Reed is expected to pledge a "root and branch" reform of the water industry, saying "regulation has failed customers and the environment". He will promise "hardworking British families will never again face huge shock hikes to their bills like we saw last year", The Times reported.