Water company backs fire chiefs' safety campaign

Yorkshire Water is backing a public safety campaign by the National Fire Chiefs Council by urging people not to enter its reservoirs.

The Be Water Aware campaign, also supported by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, aims to raise awareness about the risk of accidental drowning and encourage considerate behaviour around bodies of water.

Latest figures indicate there were 226 accidental drowning deaths in 2022 across the UK, including two in South Yorkshire.

Alastair Harvey, lead countryside and woodland advisor at Yorkshire Water, said: “With the summer approaching, we’re expecting to see an increase in numbers of people wanting to swim.

“We know how dangerous it can be to enter open bodies of water, like our reservoirs, and would urge everyone to take note of warnings at our sites.”

Ade Parkin, group manager in South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s community safety department, said: “Open water can be incredibly dangerous if it is not treated with respect.”