Water safety is a regular agenda item for the Elmbridge Community and Safety Partnership. Many partner agencies attend our more popular sites to inform and advise users about the dangers of swimming in open water.
Respect the water
Our Respect the Water campaign has been running since 2018 and we have a plan dedicated to water safety in Elmbridge. Find out more in the Respect the water plan.
Drowning prevention strategy
Elmbridge has a joint Drowning Prevention Strategy (with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents - ROSPA, Royal Life Saving Society - RLSS and RNLI) where we work with other partners to educate about the dangers of open water. This is regularly promoted through schools and multi-agency campaigns.
Targeted communications
During the summer months, we carry out targeted communications activity in high usage areas, with water safety banners up at Hurst Park and Albany Reach to advise users of the risk of open water.
Throw lines
We have four throw lines installed in the borough at this time (Hurst Park, Thamesmead, Waterside Drive and Cowey sale).
Water safety events
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, working with ourselves and other partners, hold water safety events demonstrating throw line use, highlighting the dangers etc at Cowey Sale.
Other work
We continue to share social media around water safety and in June 2022 engaged with most of our Year 6s (over 1,550 children) in the borough at Junior Citizen where the RNLI ran an interactive set on water safety.
We continue to work with our partners on water safety and promote the dangers of swimming in lakes, ponds and rivers.
