New Brunswick health officials say they’re keeping an eye on bacteria levels at Mactaquac Provincial Park, following above-normal levels over the last week.
No swimming signs were posted over the weekend at the beach, following water sampling results taken on June 21.
New Brunswick acting deputy chief medical officer of health Cristin Muecke said the signs went up Friday, 48 hours after samples were taken.
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She said it takes about 48 hours to get water quality results because bacteria needs time to grow and culture.
“In this particular situation, this is a result that is out-of-keeping with our sampling records from the past,” Muecke said. “So for example, one of the first things that we did when we received the results was check with the lab to make sure that the procedures had been appropriately followed.”
She said sometimes “despite everyone’s best efforts there can be mistakes that happen at that level”.
Muecke told Global News Tuesday that “didn’t appear to be the case,” but said there were no “extenuating circumstances” that would suggest that something unusual was going on at Mactaquac.
“As a precautionary approach we did issue the no swimming advisory because of those results, but it’s possible it could have been a sampling issue,” Muecke said.
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She said sample protocols are followed and said in some cases there could be issues with the water itself to the sampling processes, to errors in lab results. She said there’s always a “variety of potential possibilities” anywhere from waterfowl being in the area where it was sampled, to boats in the vicinity, to storm water run-off.
“All of those types of things are possibilities, so it’s something we’ll be keeping an eye on,” Muecke said.
The signs were taken down Monday after Muecke said more sampling was done on Saturday and sent to the lab over the weekend. She said the weekend sampling results were available Monday.
“I think it’s fair that it was probably in the water,” Muecke said, although she said the cause of the spike in bacteria levels in unknown.
“Depending on your point of view, that suggests to us that it may have been a sampling error because it’s weird in the same body of water from one week to the next, it’s weird for things to fluctuate that dramatically. But because we can’t say for sure, we take precautions.”
She said another sample was taken on Sunday that was also clear.
“E. coli is an indicator bacteria, so it means that it suggests that it may be there, but it suggests that there might be other bacteria there as well,” Muecke said.
Muecke said for symptoms caused by exposure to the bacteria could include skin irritation or upset stomach if contaminated water were to be consumed. She said while it’s unclear what caused it, there is no way to contact or track people who swam at the beach prior to the no swimming advisories going up.
Muecke told Global News the public health inspector connected with park staff in regards to placing four signs in places of high visibility to people going to use the beach.
She said the beach was technically open with just a no swimming advisory posted. She said the beach was still open to people who wanted to be on the sand.
“We haven’t done any sand testing to date. It’s certainly something to consider, but it’s not something we’ve been able to do up to this point,” Muecke said.
In regards to provincial park beaches, she said “environmental and sanitary surveys” have recently been done of the provincial park beaches. She said that information is used in part of the risk assessment and over the summer will be helping to inform the province of any adjustments that may need to occur regarding sampling frequency and areas and circumstances that health officials may need to keep a closer eye on.
READ MORE: Beach goers want Parlee Beach to modify signs to better indicate water quality
Municipal beaches
Muecke said the Regional Public Health Offices have identified popular recreational beaches and swimming areas in their regions that will be tested by public safety employees over the summer.
Parlee Beach Advisories
Muecke said the province is testing out rainfall advisories at Parlee Beach due to suggestions that show large amounts of rainfall leads to an increase in bacteria levels.
“When we receive a rainfall of significance we’re issuing a precautionary advisory because we’re aware it’s going to take two days to find out the results,” Muecke said.
She said the province will “see how that goes for the season” and if it plays out in terms of the data.