Severn Trent and Swim England have come together to help keep people safe at reservoirs as the warmer weather continues.

Reservoirs across the region are beautiful places for people to enjoy walks in nature, stunning views and lovely places to eat and drink. But while rising temperatures may make it tempting to take a dip, it’s important that people do not go into the water.  

Despite looking beautiful and calm, reservoirs can pose hidden dangers because the water is extremely cold, is very deep, and has strong currents and machinery beneath the surface that you can’t see.  So, whilst people are encouraged to enjoy the sites during the lovely weather, please stay out of the water and stay safe.

The Met Office recently announced the warmest spring on record, and Severn Trent is well prepared to deal with periods of warm weather, with reservoirs being an important part of the water network.  

Dan Taberner, Visitor Experience Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to our sites as the warm weather returns, but we want to make sure everyone keeps safe.

“We ask that nobody enters the water at all our reservoir sites, as there are hidden dangers you can’t see – it's extremely cold that can easily lead to shock and drowning, and it has strong currents and machinery beneath the surface.  We take the safety of visitors extremely seriously and we want everyone to enjoy these spaces safely, so please stay out of the water and stay safe.

“As the warm weather returns, customers can have confidence in their water supply, and as water is a precious resource we always encourage people to be mindful of water especially as the drier and warmer weather continues.”

Ashley Jones, Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Manager at Swim England said: “Regular open water swimmers do so with safety front of mind. It’s vital that anyone that is tempted to take dip by the recent warm weather only enter the water at managed venues, events or lifeguarded areas where risk assessments have taken place and routes thoroughly planned to ensure everyone’s safety. We want to encourage as many people as possible to swim, but do so in a controlled and safe manner.”

The Midlands hasn’t had a hosepipe ban in 30 years thanks to the combination of our continued investment, the dedication of teams working around the clock to manage water supplies, and the thoughtful choices customers make to use water wisely.

We want to make sure customers are aware of how they can save water, and so have these top tips about how to do it over the summer months: 

• When watering plants, use a watering can rather than a hose

• Use a water butt to harvest rainwater 

• Mulch around your plants with straw or bark to help prevent water loss from the soil 

• Turn off the sprinklers, your lawn will bounce back when it rains 

• Swap the hose for a bucket and sponge when washing the car.