Take note if you are planning to take a trip to one of New Brunswick’s provincial park beaches.
Public Health has issued no-swimming advisories at five beaches due to high levels of fecal bacteria in the water.
That includes New River Beach Provincial Park, Oak Bay Provincial Park, Murray Beach Provincial Park, Miscou Provincial Park, and the campers’ beach at Mactaquac Provincial Park.
Advisories are issued whenever levels of E. coli or enterococci bacteria in the water are above established national guidelines.
Oak Bay has the highest amount of bacteria, according to testing done by Public Health at the beach on Aug. 11. The average number of enterococcus bacteria was 156 times above the national guidelines at 5,463 per 100 millilitres, while E. coli was 12.5 times higher at 2,519.
At New River Beach, testing showed an average of 376 enterococcus bacteria per 100 millilitres on Aug. 11, which was 10.7 times higher than the guidelines.
E. coli levels at Murray River Beach were within guidelines on Aug. 12 with an average of 190 per 100 millilitres but enterococcus bacteria levels were nearly two times higher at 68.
At the Mactaquac Provincial Park campers’ beach, the average number of E. coli was within guidelines on Aug. 14 at 152 per 100 millilitres, but the single-sample maximum was 2.6 times higher at 1,046.
Testing at Miscou Provincial Park on Aug. 10 showed an average of 54 enterococcus bacteria per 100 millilitres, more than 1.5 times higher than the national guidelines.
According to the Canadian Recreational Water Quality Guidelines, the average number of enterococcus should be below 35 per 100 millilitres while the single-sample maximum should be no higher than 70.
For E. coli bacteria, the average number should be below 200 per 100 millilitres while the single-sample maximum should be no higher than 400.
Public Health said high bacteria levels can be caused by a number of factors, including heavy rains, high winds and waves, and lots of swimmers.
“Swimming in waters with bacteria levels above the Guideline Values does not mean that you will get sick, but it increases the risk. Levels can fluctuate through the day so there is always a small risk of exposure,” said a post on the province’s beach water quality monitoring website.
“Each person should use the information available to make choices that are comfortable for them.”
The no-swimming advisories will remain in place until bacteria levels fall back below guideline levels.
You can find the latest advisories and water quality results by clicking here.
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