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

The New Brunswick Health Department has stopped trying to find out why E. coli levels at Mactaquac Beach were more than double safe levels at the 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 at Mactaquac Provincial Park west of Fredericton were advised not to go in swimming because E. coli in the water exceeded federal guidelines.

Levels of the fecal bacteria between 800/100 mL and 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 move decided by park staff last year. Prior to that, sampling was done every month.

"Over the last several years we haven't actually seen any real big changes in E. coli readings at Mactaquac, 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  

This summer, the government is trying to address concerns at Parlee and Murray beaches on the Northumberland Strait, which have both seen high E. coli levels some days.

The two beaches both had 'no swimming advisories' because of single-sample results for enterococcus. Under the Canadian guidelines for recreational water quality, a single sample should not exceed 70 enterococci per 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

The Parlee Beach sample was 74, and the Murray 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 the province 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 Parlee Beach, 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 include posting signs that clearly indicate if the water is suitable for swimming as well as monitoring the water more often. The test results and advisories also go online.

When there is a "no swimming" advisory at Mactaquac, information is provided to visitors at the park but is not available online. 

But Russell said it's important to take precautions in whatever 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.