Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie, whose $300 million superyacht was defaced by environmental activists, has a home in L.A. so vast that it alone guzzles 2.3 million gallons of water every year, more than the annual usage of 76 American households combined.

Billionaires and their grand yachts dominate discussions about wealth these days. But there’s so much more to their extravagant lifestyles than the boats they sail. Take Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie, for example. While her $300 million megayacht Kaos often makes headlines, her many mansions and properties around the world deserve attention too. Kaos, a magnificent floating palace, is undeniably opulent, a true spectacle (especially after being vandalized twice by eco-activists). However, beyond the luxury yacht lies another significant expense: Walton Laurie’s lavish real estate portfolio.

As one of the wealthiest women in the world, with a net worth of $14.6 billion, Nancy inherited her Walmart stake from her father, Bud Walton. In addition to her Oceanco yacht, she owns several commercial properties and homes, including a massive mansion in Bel-Air. This estate was assembled by purchasing multiple neighboring properties and combining them into a sprawling 9-to-10-acre compound.

The home, originally built in 1958, boasts at least six bedrooms, and 8,500 square feet of living space. Trees surround a sprawling pool, tennis court, and half-acre lawn. Nancy acquired the Bel-Air mansion in 2001 for $20 million, and over the years, she has spent nearly $57 million on renovations to perfect the property.

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Pictured is the 901 Strada Vecchia Rd a development next to Laurie’s mansion

However, it’s not just the renovation costs that are astonishing. Laure Walton’s water consumption has us astounded. The estate spans five acres of lush grounds, featuring a pool, a tennis court, and a central lawn measuring half an acre, surrounded by trees. Maintaining these manicured lawns and gardens, including the cherished eucalyptus tree, requires an immense amount of water. According to the Center for Investigative Reporting estimates, Laurie’s estate uses between 2.3 million and 4.6 million gallons of water annually. For reference, the average American household, consisting of four people, uses about 120,000 gallons annually. In other words, Walton Laurie’s estate uses 76 times the water of an average family.

Her exorbitant water use isn’t limited to just the home. Walton Laurie once demanded $90,000 in compensation from a neighboring millionaire property developer, claiming that construction work destroyed the eucalyptus tree. This gives us a glimpse into the staggering sums she spends on maintaining her properties.

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Given California’s history of droughts and water conservation efforts, it is hard to ignore the contrast. Walton Laurie’s massive estate consumes between 2.3 million and 4.6 million gallons of water annually, which seems out of touch with the state’s environmental challenges. It’s no wonder eco-activists have been targeting billionaires and their in-your-face assets.

In 2023, Nancy Walton Laurie’s Kaos superyacht, the largest owned by a woman, was twice defaced by eco-activists from a group called Futuro Vegetal. The group spray-painted the yacht in Barcelona, leaving behind messages like “Billionaires should not exist” and “You consume, others suffer.” While there is no justification for vandalizing someone’s property, Walton Laurie’s lifestyle, especially her water consumption, gives us a peek into the extravagant and sometimes controversial world of billionaires.