Severn Trent is trialing a managed swim event at Carsington Water for the very first time this July.

The session – which will be hosted from 6.30pm - 8.30pm on Thursday 11th July – is being run by experienced operator, Pacesetter Events. If successful, Severn Trent will look to introduce other events in the future.

Donna Marshall, Visitor Engagement Manager at Severn Trent said: “We know that outdoor swimming has grown in popularity over the years and this is something we’ve wanted to introduce for a while, so we're really pleased to be able to offer this pilot session at Carsington.

“Pacesetter Events are a brilliant company with loads of experience of operating open water swimming events at other similar locations like Rutland Water, so they’re well aware of the potential risks involved in swimming in reservoirs and how to mitigate them.”

Reservoirs contain a number of dangers that could result in even experienced swimmers getting into difficulty. Even on a hot day, the temperature of the water can be extremely cold, reservoirs also often have hidden dangers beneath the surface and unseen currents due to them being operational bodies of water and can have soft, muddy banks.

Donna continued: “We have always said that people should not enter the water at any of our reservoirs unless taking part in a supervised and structured activity and this absolutely remains the case. Reservoirs can be really dangerous places so it's important that people only ever enter the water to take part in a managed, organised event. There will be lots of measures in place to ensure that the swim event will be as safe as possible.”

Pacesetter Events delivers a diverse and exciting portfolio of events at a range of exclusive venues across the Midlands and east of England, including one of the largest open water swim series in the UK, classic running events and iconic triathlons.

Paul Cowling from Pacesetter Events, said: “We’re really pleased to be able to support Severn Trent in trialling open water swimming at Carsington Water. It's an amazing location with all of the on-site resources that we'd need for this event and we’ve worked really closely with Severn Trent to find safe swimming routes on the reservoir.

“Swimming has very different risks to other water-based sports like paddleboarding or canoeing. To make sure everyone enjoys the session safely, swimmers will be required to use swim floats and wear swimming hats for every session, along with wetsuits if the temperature is below 16 degrees, and we’ll have trained teams and safety boats on hand to provide support.”

Carsington was chosen as the location for the trial as it has the on-site infrastructure needed – including car parking and toilets – is well staffed and has consistently met the water quality testing requirements needed for swimming.

Each session is charged £32 with all money going towards the operation of the sessions and ensuring future sustainability.

For more information or to register to take part in the session, visit www.pacesetterevents.com/carsington.