diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwscript/cellextensions.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwscript/cellextensions.cpp
index 2140076c3..4d1c15f1e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwscript/cellextensions.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwscript/cellextensions.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ namespace MWScript
                 {
                     MWWorld::CellStore *cell = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->getPlayerPtr().getCell();
                     if (cell->getCell()->hasWater())
-                        runtime.push (cell->mWaterLevel);
+                        runtime.push (cell->getWaterLevel());
                     else
                         runtime.push (-std::numeric_limits<float>().max());
                 }
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ namespace MWScript
                     if (cell->getCell()->isExterior())
                         throw std::runtime_error("Can't set water level in exterior cell");
 
-                    cell->mWaterLevel = level;
-                    MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->setWaterHeight(cell->mWaterLevel);
+                    cell->setWaterLevel (level);
+                    MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->setWaterHeight (cell->getWaterLevel());
                 }
         };
 
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ namespace MWScript
                     if (cell->getCell()->isExterior())
                         throw std::runtime_error("Can't set water level in exterior cell");
 
-                    cell->mWaterLevel +=level;
-                    MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->setWaterHeight(cell->mWaterLevel);
+                    cell->setWaterLevel (cell->getWaterLevel()+level);
+                    MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->setWaterHeight(cell->getWaterLevel());
                 }
         };
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
index e95fd226b..ceb27274e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.cpp
@@ -233,6 +233,16 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return Ptr();
     }
 
+    float CellStore::getWaterLevel() const
+    {
+        return mWaterLevel;
+    }
+
+    void CellStore::setWaterLevel (float level)
+    {
+        mWaterLevel = level;
+    }
+
     void CellStore::load (const MWWorld::ESMStore &store, std::vector<ESM::ESMReader> &esm)
     {
         if (mState!=State_Loaded)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
index 66f5bbf8d..428890764 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/cellstore.hpp
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         const ESM::Cell *mCell;
         State mState;
         std::vector<std::string> mIds;
+        float mWaterLevel;
 
     public:
 
@@ -82,7 +83,9 @@ namespace MWWorld
         ///< Will return an empty Ptr if cell is not loaded. Does not check references in
         /// containers.
 
-    float mWaterLevel;
+        float getWaterLevel() const;
+
+        void setWaterLevel (float level);
 
     // Lists for each individual object type
     CellRefList<ESM::Activator>         mActivators;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index 4c97c594d..e258d8503 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -1760,7 +1760,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
         if (!(cell->getCell()->mData.mFlags & ESM::Cell::HasWater)) {
             return false;
         }
-        return pos.z < cell->mWaterLevel;
+        return pos.z < cell->getWaterLevel();
     }
 
     bool World::isOnGround(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr) const