Water safety advice issued ahead of hot weekend weather
People are being warned to take care.
Anglian Water have warned people to take extra care if considering cooling off due to the high temperatures this weekend.
According to the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) around 300 people lose their lives to accidental drowning each year in the UK and Ireland – with 59% of accidental drownings happening in inland bodies of water.
Even the strongest of swimmers can run into difficulty and as the weather begins to get warmer, it can be even more tempting to use our reservoirs to cool off. 
Will Kirstein, General Manager at Rutland Water said:
“Our reservoirs are there to provide local communities with green spaces and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy.
“They’re also there to help us store water so that we have plenty of available resources to supply clean, high-quality drinking water to our customers.
“They are very deep and can be extremely cold in places – even during periods of hot weather. The sudden change in temperature can cause a cold shock which can take your breath away and make it hard to swim.
“There are also strong currents, mud and weeds that can put swimmers in real danger and as our reservoirs are operational sites, there is hidden machinery just below the water surface."
Three tips from the organisation state:
• Please only swim at supervised and lifeguarded sites. Please stay out of the water outside of designated areas and times
• Look for signs and advice about the specific dangers at the place where you’re considering to swim
• We encourage everyone to learn basic survival, self-rescue and rescue skills