As summer grows closer, officials are renewing water safety tips in hopes of preventing drowning deaths.

The Lifesaving Society says water-related deaths in B.C. have declined in recent years as more people become aware of the importance of water safety, but the province always sees a sharp uptick in drownings during warmer months.

More than 80 per cent drown in natural bodies of water like lakes, rivers and oceans.

The society’s latest annual report says the highest drowning rates were found among men, young adults aged 20 to 34, and middle-aged adults under 50.

Nearly 20 per cent of the time, people were swimming or fishing when