Sweeping changes to the water monitoring protocol at Parlee Beach have been announced and will take effect this summer.
READ MORE: N.B. looking to improve water testing guidelines at Parlee Beach
The provincial government has announced requirements which are in accordance with the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality will be introduced at the park.
The increased provisions will see beefed up water sampling, along with signage posted daily to advise whether water is suitable for swimming or if a no-swimming advisory is in effect.
“Previously samples used to be taken once a week from three locations,”said Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health. “The samples will now be taken from five different locations on a daily basis.”
Parks staff will ensure the proper signage is posted each day which will be audited by Public Health.
Environment and Local Government Minister Serge Rousselle, who became responsible for matters concerning Parlee Beach after Health Minister Victor Boudreau recently recused himself, said providing daily updates on water quality shows the government’s commitment to ensuring public safety.
READ MORE: NB minister’s recusal sparks conflict of interest talks at legislature
“We said that we will be improving the rating for the water and we would be improving the communication part of it,” Rousselle said at a news conference. “That’s exactly what we’re doing.”
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The protocol commencing at Parlee will soon be adapted and instituted at Murray Beach with other provincial parks slated for similar systems.
Assessments for each are expected to take place before the end of the summer.
Increased monitoring comes as welcome news to the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, who hope it’s a sign of government starting to move proactively against water contamination.
“We have to look at upstream agricultural practices, we have to look at sewage treatment, we have to look at septic tanks,” explained Lois Corbett, the Conservation Council’s executive director. “Increased reporting and testing doesn’t clean up water, what we have to do is try to keep human and animal waste from going into Parlee Beach in the first place.”
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