Anglian Water urges swimmers not to take a dip in Cambridgeshire reservoirs as weather heats up

With warmer weather forecast this week, Anglian Water is urging visitors to Grafham Water and Rutland Water not to be tempted to cool off in the water.

The water company is supporting Drowning Prevention Week, a campaign created by The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), to raise awareness of the dangers around swimming in its reservoirs, and other open areas of water.

The advice follows a series of instances over recent years where two young people died lives after swimming unsupervised in rivers and reservoirs in East Anglia.

Unfortunately, around 700 people lose their lives to drowning every year in the UK and Ireland - equating to one person every 12 hours.

The company's waterparks closed temporarily in March this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Although they have now reopened to visitors, many of the water sports activities, including equipment hire, aqua parks and the beach at Rutland Water will remain closed this year.

Anglian Water's David Hartley said: "The beach at Rutland will remain closed and all organised events are currently postponed, meaning swimming in our reservoirs is illegal. Although it might seem appealing to dive into the cool water on a hot day, they are operational sites, and can be extremely dangerous for even the strongest swimmer."

RLSS UK CEO, Robert Gofton said: "This year's campaigns will focus on encouraging everybody to take personal responsibility near water, especially in light of the current challenges facing our emergency and rescue services. Venues and rescue services are doing everything they can to provide a service this summer, but the harsh reality is that in the current climate, despite a big effort, the usual level of service just isn't feasible.

"We are urging individuals and families to take care, take responsibility and learn what to do in an emergency."

For further information about what is available at each of Anglian Water's waterparks, visit here