Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie at the photocall for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Spanish diamond venture sparks outrage over ‘unsustainable’ water use
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Leo’s diamond dream under threat as Trujillo factory faces water war.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s glittering diamond empire in Spain is facing a rocky future – and it’s not because of dodgy gemstones. The Titanic star’s high-tech factory in Trujillo, Caceres, is making waves for all the wrong reasons at the moment, with furious locals and environmentalists warning that its water consumption could leave the town high and dry.
A ‘titanic’ investment
DiCaprio-backed Diamond Foundry kicked off test production on January 17, marking Europe’s first-ever diamond manufacturing plant. The Hollywood heartthrob – the company’s biggest investor – has poured a cool €275 million into the first phase; a figure set to skyrocket to €675 million when fully operational.
By the end of 2025, the factory aims to have over 100 reactors churning out lab-grown diamonds, a futuristic alternative to traditional mining. But not everyone is dazzled by DiCaprio’s latest blockbuster business move.
The hidden cost of sparkle?
Local environmental group Plataforma Salvemos el Berrocal has issued a stark warning: the factory’s annual water consumption could exceed 730,000 cubic metres – more than the entire population of Trujillo uses in a year.
This project was approved without properly assessing the impact on water resources. It’s completely unsustainable, critics argue. And with the factory currently reliant on Trujillo’s drinking water supply, many are questioning how long the town can keep the taps running before residents are left parched.
Public backlash boils over
On February 7, concerns came to a head in a heated meeting hosted by Asociación 25 de Marzo. Experts, including Ecologistas en Acción’s Fernando Teijón and Aquanex director David Bejarano, raised the alarm about the dire consequences of prioritising a Hollywood-backed business over local needs.
“Right now, the factory has no water recycling infrastructure, meaning it’s competing with the community for essential resources,” warned Bejarano. “Long term, this just isn’t viable.”
A crisis without a clear fix
The obvious solution? Invest in water infrastructure to support the factory without draining Trujillo dry. But insiders say that’s unlikely, given the lack of coordination between government agencies.
Environmentalists argue that pouring public money into a project that benefits a private company over the local population is nothing short of scandalous. “In a region where water is scarce, we should be thinking about people first – not diamonds,” said Teijón.
Is Leo’s diamond venture a sinking ship?
For now, Diamond Foundry insists business will continue as planned, brushing off concerns about water shortages. But if the factory doesn’t find a sustainable way to source its supply, DiCaprio’s European diamond dream could hit an iceberg of its own.
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