People in Waterford are being urged to stay safe if they're taking to the water this week.
There are no lifeguards on duty at our beaches yet and water temperatures are around half of what the air temperature is.
Lola O'Sullivan is the Chair of Water Safety Ireland Waterford.
"We just want to remind people that if they are going to the beaches that although the air temperature is quite warm at the moment, the water temperature is still quite cold, it's only around 12 degrees.
"There is a temptation to cool down.
"We are appealing to people not to swim out too far, to stay within their depth, to swim in places that are known to them and that are safe to swim in.
"When they are going, particularly to the beach, that they keep children supervised at all times when they are near water."
She says people should not be travelling outside of their 5km limit yet.
"We're still in Phase 1 so nobody should be swimming outside their 5km limit.
"In Waterford, Wexford and many of the coastal counties lifeguards are presently not on duty this weekend.
"Due to the coronavirus the councils haven't had the opportunity to recruit at the moment.
"It will be the following weekend before lifeguards are on duty.
"So, if people are going to beaches this weekend they need to be aware there is a strong possibility that wherever you are in Ireland that there aren't lifeguards on the beach.
"The other point we would like to put across to people is never to swim alone."
