California is in the grips of its worst drought in history, with residents even filling in swimming pools and cutting shower time to save water as experts estimate the state’s reservoirs won’t have enough drinking water by next year.
But clearly, no one told Kim Kardashian and her hubby Kanye West, whose deluxe new Hidden Hills mansion boasts manicured lawns and sparkling water, in harsh contrast to the desolate landscape outside their property.
“The Kardashian flowers and hedges are right in our face,” a neighbour recently told the New York Post. “It’s disgusting! You can walk by and smell the freshness.”
Kim, along with fellow LA residents Jennifer Lopez and Barbra Streisand, have both recently come under fire for their thriving backyards, as other residents face $100 fines for wasting water.
J.Lo reportedly once said, “Oh, so I’ll just pay some fines – what are they going to do”, according to the New York Post.
“She has been pretty dismissive,” says their source.
But not all A-listers in the sprawling city think they’re above Mother Nature. Jennifer Aniston has ripped out the vineyard – once her pride and joy – which lined her Bel Air mansion and planted hardy succulents instead.
Cher has switched out some of her lawn for drought-resistant plants, including palm trees, while neighbours have noted that Julia Roberts is letting the grass around her home go brown.
California Governor Jerry Brown, apparently sick of the rich and famous ignoring the $100 fines, has promised to pass legislation increasing the penalty to $10,000.
Something tells us Kim and Kanye, who together are worth $140 million and are expecting their second child, might need a bit more of a push than that before they empty the pool and replace the turf with pavers.