Attention News Editors: The provincial government has released the summary report and individual technical reports of the steering committee set up to examine water quality issues at Parlee Beach. Lois Corbett, Executive Director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, issued the following statement:
“I welcome the recommendation that the provincial government develop a comprehensive watershed protection plan for Shediac Bay and the iconic Parlee Beach. A watershed protection plan, combined with a new regulation to protect coastal areas under the Clean Water Act (as described in the provincial water protection strategy), is the most prudent and efficient way to ensure that our coastline and waters — from the Bay of Chaleur, along the Northumberland Strait to the Bay of Fundy — remain an important contributor to New Brunswick’s long term economic development.
It is good to see the province release the technical steering committee’s summary and individual reports. The committee’s recommendations are a clear call to action and the provincial government must be 100 per cent proactive to ensure the long term health of our coastal waters and the environmental and economic benefits they provide our coastal communities.
The report demonstrates that much more work is needed to protect Shediac Bay and all along the Northumberland Strait from risks of contamination and the effects of climate change we are already experiencing. The government’s consultants discovered, for example, that the current wetlands map along Shediac Bay is not comprehensive, literally leaving significant wetlands in the area off the map. This means the way the government currently makes major decisions for campgrounds and other development is inadequate.
The recommendations set a bar by which towns, villages, developers and ongoing provincial governments must meet.”
The Conservation Council will be reading each technical report and Lois Corbett will be at the Northumberland Strait Conference on Coastal Protection and Restoration on Monday, April 23, at the Shediac Multipurpose Center.
Background
Escherichia coli (abbreviated as E. coli) are bacteria found in the environment, foods, and intestines of people and animals. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick and can cause kidney failure, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia. When we discover E. coli in water, it usually has come from sewage runoffs, and animal faecal matter. That’s why health officials all over the world carefully monitor E. coli and its different strains.
During the summer of 2016, Parlee Beach was plagued by E. coli contamination which left the water unsafe to swim in. The water quality rating system in place at the time (which was developed after high E.coli counts arose in 1994) reported incorrect conditions and the beach remained opened to the public, putting beachgoers at risk for serious illness and disease.
coli is a persistent species of bacteria that normally live in the intestines of people and animals. When high concentrations of E.coli (greater than or equal to 400 E.coli per 100 ml) are found in a water sample, it indicates the presence of feces in the environment, and is considered unsafe. E.coli can enter the environment in many ways, such as stormwater runoff, sewage discharge, as well as faecal matter from wild and domesticated.
A steering committee, composed of representatives from the department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Health, Environment and Local Government, and Tourism, Heritage and Culture, formed in late 2016, to identify ways of preserving and improving water quality at Parlee Beach, and to pinpoint the source or sources of contamination.
In April 2017, the provincial government announced a new water quality monitoring protocol for Parlee Beach which follows Health Canada’s technical and science-based guidelines for recreational water quality. The new protocol also ensures that the health of the water will be tested daily and the results will be clearly communicated to the public through signage at the beach and online. The Conservation Council welcomed the new protocol, as it was an important first step towards protecting the health of beachgoers and Parlee Beach.
In May 2017, the provincial government announced a series of infrastructure investments and restrictions on new development specific to the Parlee Beach area. The Conservation Council noted that while the announcement will speed up the repair of Parlee Beach, not all pollution issues will be resolved until a comprehensive approach is taken to manage the health of the coastal communities along the entire Northumberland Strait.
To arrange an interview, contact:
Jon MacNeill, Communications Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, 506-458-8747 | 506-238-3539, jon.macneill@conservationcouncil.ca