What Are the Risks of Open Water?

June 18, 2020

This week Envireau Water are joining the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) to raise awareness of the risks that open water can pose. Take 5 minutes to read their latest safety information. 


We have all seen the warnings and recent posts on social media about swimming in open water. Whilst the weather at present may not be quite as hot as it was a couple of weeks ago, Envireau Water is joining the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) this week to raise awareness of the risks that open water can pose. As the weather turns hotter with long sunny summer days (and fingers crossed we get a few more), there is a strong temptation to cool off with a dip, whether that is the sea, a river or a lake. So why should we think twice before taking our shoes off and jumping in? We asked Rebecca, one of our hydrologists, who is also a qualified lifeguard and swimming teacher, to give us her thoughts and experience on the topic. 


“Growing up in the Midlands, I have been lucky enough to enjoy our countryside and waterways, but I appreciate the risks posed by open water such as reservoirs, disused quarries, and rivers of all sizes. In previous years during #DrowningPreventionWeek, I would think of lots of interesting ways to educate children and adults about the risks involved with swimming in open water.” 


So, what are the risks involved: 


  • Coldwater shock – sudden changes in temperature can cause your body to shut down. If this happened, how will you get out? 
  • Unseen objects – you never know what is lurking underwater. 
  • Changes in water depth – you could soon find yourself unable to stand. 
  • Fast flowing water, changing tides and rip tides in the sea – do not underestimate the power of water. 
  • Solo swimming – if you are struggling who will be there to help? 
  • Water quality – we have all swallowed water before when swimming, but do you know what is in it? 


These are all important stop and think moments. After all, it’s easy to get in the water but will it be as easy to get back out? 


“As a qualified lifeguard for 10 years, the risks above seem obvious to me, but that lure of a cooling swim can sometimes be too much for some. A great benefit of working for Envireau Water is how seriously they take this risk, which often comes alongside fieldwork. This can be when installing certain types of monitoring equipment where there is a need to enter the water, or when completing a site walkover survey near to a river or other large water body. The training provided is excellent in preparing us to think about the risks and how best to remove or minimise them.” 


We take water safety seriously at Envireau Water, all of our fieldwork staff are trained in Open Water Safety, as well as First Aid. The team are also trained and well-practised in completing risk assessments and evaluating the dangers of water in unfamiliar environments. That’s why we are encouraging you to head over to the RLSS website so you’re up to date with all the latest safety information, after all a 10-minute read could make all the difference…

https://www.rlss.org.uk/Pages/Category/water-safety-information. 


Our staff are a talented bunch, with skills that go beyond the day job! Why not learn more about Rebecca and the rest of the Envireau Water team over on our about page!

Share

Recent Environment Agency Updates

By Rachael Plant • April 8, 2025
Since December 2024, the Environment Agency (EA) have released a series of flood and coastal erosion risk assessment updates, offering a clearer, more comprehensive picture of both current and future flood risk across England. What makes these updates so important? With approximately 6.3 million properties in England at risk of flooding and 3,500 properties at risk of coastal erosion by 2055, these updates are absolutely critical in order for you to protect and enhance your developments against the threat of climate change and extreme weather events. Whether a commercial or residential development, Envireau Water specialise in flood risk management and sustainable drainage solutions across the UK. By leveraging our technical expertise and deep knowledge of the UK regulatory system, we are known for achieving a positive outcome for even the most complex of challenges. Keep reading to find out what these updates mean for you.

World Water Day 2025

By Rachael Plant • March 21, 2025
Climate change is an urgent issue we cannot ignore, and requires the collective action of communities across the globe if the worst effects are to be mitigated. From rising sea levels, extreme weather events to a loss of biodiversity, the potential impacts are widespread. However, this world water day, the focus is rightly on glacial preservation - our planet's largest natural freshwater reservoir. Why is it important? At Envireau Water, we recognise the widespread impact that glacial meltwater has across the whole planet, leading to the escalation of more extreme weather events as a result. Not only does this impact the environment with the disruption of ecosystems and water cycles, but also has a profound impact on society and industries reliant on a stable water supply. As a team of water scientists, we have witnessed first-hand the undeniable impact that flooding and drought events have had on the mineral, agricultural, industrial and development sectors, from failing crops and flooded farmland to a halt in distilling operations and delayed development projects, the ripple effects of these events are felt across communities and businesses alike.

Setting up for Regulatory Success

By Rachael Plant • March 18, 2025
It is safe to say that Envireau Water have had a long line of success stories over our years of operation across our four sectors of expertise, with permitting and licensing being just one of our many service offerings. So, what has fuelled our success? To get some insight, we turned to our Specialist Water Resources team for their perspective. Penny , can you expand on Envireau Water's success in this area? 'Water is a vital resource across many industries, without which they would not be able to operate effectively. However, this does not come without certain regulatory constraints, which must be abided by. That's where we come in.
Show More

Recent Environment Agency Updates

By Rachael Plant • April 8, 2025
Since December 2024, the Environment Agency (EA) have released a series of flood and coastal erosion risk assessment updates, offering a clearer, more comprehensive picture of both current and future flood risk across England. What makes these updates so important? With approximately 6.3 million properties in England at risk of flooding and 3,500 properties at risk of coastal erosion by 2055, these updates are absolutely critical in order for you to protect and enhance your developments against the threat of climate change and extreme weather events. Whether a commercial or residential development, Envireau Water specialise in flood risk management and sustainable drainage solutions across the UK. By leveraging our technical expertise and deep knowledge of the UK regulatory system, we are known for achieving a positive outcome for even the most complex of challenges. Keep reading to find out what these updates mean for you.

World Water Day 2025

By Rachael Plant • March 21, 2025
Climate change is an urgent issue we cannot ignore, and requires the collective action of communities across the globe if the worst effects are to be mitigated. From rising sea levels, extreme weather events to a loss of biodiversity, the potential impacts are widespread. However, this world water day, the focus is rightly on glacial preservation - our planet's largest natural freshwater reservoir. Why is it important? At Envireau Water, we recognise the widespread impact that glacial meltwater has across the whole planet, leading to the escalation of more extreme weather events as a result. Not only does this impact the environment with the disruption of ecosystems and water cycles, but also has a profound impact on society and industries reliant on a stable water supply. As a team of water scientists, we have witnessed first-hand the undeniable impact that flooding and drought events have had on the mineral, agricultural, industrial and development sectors, from failing crops and flooded farmland to a halt in distilling operations and delayed development projects, the ripple effects of these events are felt across communities and businesses alike.

Setting up for Regulatory Success

By Rachael Plant • March 18, 2025
It is safe to say that Envireau Water have had a long line of success stories over our years of operation across our four sectors of expertise, with permitting and licensing being just one of our many service offerings. So, what has fuelled our success? To get some insight, we turned to our Specialist Water Resources team for their perspective. Penny , can you expand on Envireau Water's success in this area? 'Water is a vital resource across many industries, without which they would not be able to operate effectively. However, this does not come without certain regulatory constraints, which must be abided by. That's where we come in.

Achieving Nutrient Neutrality

By Rachael Plant • March 11, 2025
Achieving nutrient neutrality is a challenging task, and is one that developers all over the country have battled to achieve over the last 5-6 years. In March 2022, Natural England issued a directive to Local Planning Authorities, County Councils, the Environment Agency, the Planning Inspectorate, Natural Resources Wales, and DLUHC stating that, in specific river catchments, developments should not be permitted if the LPA cannot definitively ensure that it will not adversely impact protected environmental sites due to increased levels of nitrate and/or phosphate. While the current approach is efficient, robust, and objective, it can also be slow, costly, and overly complex—leading to potential project delays and increased expenses for housing developers. To address these challenges, the government released the Planning Reform Working Paper in December 2024. This initiative aims to unlock approximately 28,000 homes across seven areas in England that had been stalled due to nutrient neutrality concerns, backed by £47 million from the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund.
Show More