The New Brunswick government says it plans to implement all 14 recommendations in a report on water quality at one of the province’s most popular beaches.
The government released the final report and recommendations in Shediac on Friday, compiled by the Steering Committee for Parlee Beach Water Quality.
Environment Minister Serge Rousselle said Parlee Beach is a major tourism draw for New Brunswick and the government wants to restore public confidence that the beach is safe and clean.
The report says 1,452 water samples were taken throughout the 2017 season, and the water quality was found to be “very good,” and “suitable for swimming,” 95 per cent of the time.
“It’s one summer and this is like a real jewel and we need to make sure we restore trust in people to know that this beach has very good quality water so we want to continue to show it in the long run,” Rouselle said.
READ MORE: New Brunswick provides update on Parlee, Murray beaches projects, upgrades to wastewater
In April 2017, the province announced changes to water monitoring protocol at Parlee Beach and announced provincial and federal combined funding of $3 million to improve water quality at Parlee and Murray beaches.
In addition to that funding, the province said it’s spending another $760,000 to implement the recommendations.
The province collected water samples from mid-May until October following the national guidelines adopted for 2017.
READ MORE: New Brunswickers waiting for comprehensive strategy on beach water quality
Rouselle said during the sampling period, there were eight days when no-swimming advisories were posted at Parlee Beach because water testing results showed higher values of E. coli and enterococci bacteria than recommended for swimming by the national guidelines.
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The report concludes there is no evidence of a “chronic water quality issue” at the beach.
Government staff told media that other data was collected including wind speed and direction, the number of visitors to the beach, air and water temperature, rainfall amounts, and tidal water levels. The report showed spikes in bacteria appear to correlate with wind direction and high tide. Staff said New Brunswick experienced a dry summer in 2017.
READ MORE: Not just the water: Residents say Parlee Beach’s image ‘is tainted’
The government said more data will be collected in 2018 to confirm the causes.
Arthur Melanson, a member of the Red Dot Association concerned about the quality of water in the area, said he didn’t have a chance to read the report as of Friday afternoon, but attended a briefing for stakeholders held by the province.
“First hand, it’s positive,” Melanson said. “At least the results. They’re finding good results.”
Melanson said there is still work to be done and said he has questions he hopes he’ll find answers to when he has time to carefully go over the report.
“Well, after the meeting, some of the questions that we have is looking at: this is the sewage system we have, the sewage system here at Parlee Beach in the reports, we’ll be able to see what’s going on and then also the sewage system at Pointe-du-Chêne, the Greater Shediac Sewer Commission and also the outlying area,” Melanson said.
A public open house will be held Saturday, April 21 by the government at the Administrative Building from 10-6 p.m.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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