High E. coli levels at Mactaquac Beach in June to stay a mystery

The New Brunswick Health Department has stopped trying to find out whyE. colilevels at MactaquacBeach were more than double safe levels atthe end of June.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the acting chief medical officer of health, said three samples taken after the high reading appeared to be normal, so her department has stopped investigating.

The last week of June, people visiting the beach atMactaquacProvincial Park west of Fredericton were advised not to go in swimming because E.coliin the water exceeded federal guidelines.

Levels of the fecal bacteria between 800/100 mLand 1,000/100 mL were well over the threshold. Anything under 400 is considered safe for swimming.

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"Because the water samples that were taken after that were normal, we just carry on with continued sampling," she said. "There is no investigation happening at this time."

She said testing takes place every two weeks, a movedecided by park stafflast year. Prior to that, sampling was done every month.

"Over the last several years we haven't actually seen any realbig changes in E.colireadings atMactaquac,so this was kind of a one-off situation," she said. "So it's really hard to pinpoint exactly what the reason would be."

She said New Brunswick does not have a water-quality program for recreational waters and nothing that requires they be monitored.

No recreational water program

Thissummer, the government is tryingto address concerns at Parleeand Murray beaches on the NorthumberlandStrait, which have both seen high E. colilevels some days.

The two beaches both had 'no swimming advisories' because of single-sample resultsforenterococcus. Under the Canadian guidelines for recreational water quality, a single sample should not exceed 70enterococciper 100 mL.

'The whole issue around recreational water is there is never zero risk when it comes to bacteria and E. coli.'- Jennifer Russell, acting medical officer of health

TheParleeBeach sample was74, and theMurray Beach sample was 253 more than three times the recommended maximum.

Information from the monitoring of those beaches is being analyzed, and Russell said plans for other beaches in theprovince won't be made that's done.

"Then we can make decisions about other beaches moving forward," she said.

Trying to keep public informed

At ParleeBeach, after months of controversy over how the government monitored pollution levels, new protocols were adopted in May that are in line with federal guidelines.

They includeposting signs that clearly indicate if the water is suitable for swimming as well asmonitoring the water more often. The test results and advisories also go online.

When there isa "no swimming" advisory atMactaquac,information isprovided to visitors at the park but is not available online.

But Russell said it's important to take precautions inwhatever recreational body of water a person is swimming in.

"The whole issue around recreational water is there is never zero risk when it comes to bacteria and E.coli," she said.