‘An extremely dangerous situation’

With state inland beaches closed this summer, some swimmers are turning to reservoirs, boat ramps and other nontraditional places to cool off.

But officials say this can be dangerous and illegal.

This has been a problem in Danbury, where there is an increase in people swimming in reservoirs, such as one off of Long Ridge Road.

“It’s just a new phenomenon,” Mayor Mark Boughton said. “We’re seeing it in other parts of the city and other parts of the state.”

This is true at Aquarion Water Company’s reservoirs and at state boat ramps.

Officers with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection are “strictly” enforcing the “no swimming” rules and posting signs at many of the “problematic” launches, said Will Healey, spokesman for DEEP.

“It is an extremely dangerous situation to have anybody, let alone small children, in the water anywhere near the boat ramps,” Healey said. “The facilities are designed for use by large vehicles, trailers, and motor boats. With courtesy docks in the water adjacent to many launches and with vehicles and trailers backing onto ramps, swimmers are not easily seen and tragic results could occur.”

Instances of people swimming in “non-traditional” areas have been growing in recent years and further accelerated this year, he said.

“How much of that is due to the general annual increase in this activity versus closure of inland swim areas is hard to know or quantify,” Healey said.

Problem spots in previous years include Bulls Bridge in Kent, Scantic River in Enfield, Nepaug Forest in New Hartford and Wadsworth Falls in Middlefield, he said.

Additional signage has been posted, but DEEP has not been able to increase enforcement in those places, Healey said.

“This is due to increased demand on staff as a result of the increased use we’ve been experiencing,” he said.

Reservoir swimming

On Long Ridge Road, people have ignored signs warning people not to park or swim at the reservoir and then left garbage, clothes, diapers and other debris, Boughton said.

Bethel, not Danbury,

owns the reservoir and Eureka water tank.

Bethel First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said he

had not heard of an increase of trespassers on the property this summer, but has received complaints before.

He said the Public Works Department installed barriers to prevent people from parking on the property. He recently asked the utilities department to put up “no trespassing” signs, so Danbury police could ticket parkers.

“We will work with Danbury authorities as best we can to discourage and put an end to it,” Knickerbocker said.

Not only are there no lifeguards, but it is illegal to swim in a public water supply.

“That’s a major no-no,” Boughton said.

Hearst Connecticut Media file photo People swimming last July in Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middlefield, where the state has had problems with people ignoring “no swimming”signs.