Parlee's pollution problem: 'Politicians are getting in the way'

A medical doctor is disputing claims by Health Minister Victor Boudreau that it's a "struggle" to find the cause of the pollution problem at Parlee Beach.

Dr. Scott Mawdsley, who wrote a 106-page letter to Premier Brian Gallant on what he considers a public health risk at the beach, believes the province could have figured out the source of fecal contamination by now if it wanted to.

"For the last 10 or 20 years, the government has known about the problem and has done nothing to fix it," said Mawdsley.

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He said he didn't believeBoudreau'scomments earlier this week that the problem wasn't easy to find.

Boudreausaid Tuesday the issue has been "around for many, many years," but said despite that, his department has not been able to figure out the cause.

"Departments over the years, and governments, have struggled to try to be able to pinpoint what exactly the issue is," he said this week, citing possible explanations including climate change, land runoff, faulty septic and sewage systems, boating, and large crowds at the beach.

"There are many factors that can come into play here, and nobody yet has been able to pinpoint exactly what the issue is," the minister said.

Politics getting mixed up with public health

Mawdsley isn't the first to suggest the province should be able to identify the source. Mount Allison University biologist Douglas Campbell is sending a group of biology students to the beach in the coming months to conduct tests. He told CBC in November that they can probably come up with an answer in one semester.

Mawdsleysaidpart of the problem is politics getting mixed up with public health and environmental protection.

"What I think is happening here is the politicians are getting in the way of the career professionals," he said.

He also believesBoudreaushouldn't be making decisions about the beach because he is an investor in a proposed campground in the area.Boudreauhas placed his stake in the project in a blind trust.

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Mawdsley and others have said ever-growing residential developments near the beach are probably responsible for the increasing levels of fecal material in the water.

Unaware of the poor water ratings, Mawdsley let his own children swim at Parlee Beach this summer.

When he was told by someone else at the beach about the "poor" rating on a small sign near one entrance, Mawdsley said, he asked beach staff for the water test result and was told he would have to get it through a Right to Information request.

"One of my daughters got a mild skin rash," he said. "Another one had a very mild case of diarrhea, stomach flu, and we thought it was related to the food that they ate. I never even really thought it was related to the water. This was before I discovered this."

'Walkerton waiting to happen'

Mawdsley said although most diseases caused by contact with bacterial water are mild, the province is running the risk of someone getting severely ill by not fixing the problem.

Dr. Andre Touchburn, an emergency room doctor who owns a cottage and swims at Parlee Beach, said having bacteria levels many times higher than accepted norms is another Walkerton waiting to happen.

Seven people died and thousands more were sick from an E. coli outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario in 2000 because of faulty municipal water testing.

"Basically it's playing the odds, said Touchburn. "The limits that are set for safe recreational swimming are based on the probability of someone getting sick. And the higher the numbers go the higher the probability. I think there needs to be action to prevent any similar tragedy from happening as to what happened in Walkerton."

Aware of problem in 2015

In January 2015, David Dunn, former president of the Shediac Bay Watershed Association, wrote to the health minister to tell him about the high bacterial count, and that the testing in Shediac Bay didn't conform to standards for recreational water established in Canada.

Dunn said he was concerned about the health risk and asked Boudreau to help set up a meeting with senior health department officials.

In his response, Boudreau did not offer such a meeting and recommended Dunn meet with public health staff in Moncton.

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"Recreational activities are not limited to swimming," Boudreau added in the March 2015 letter. "They also include boating, kayaking, or walking along the beach. Therefore, poor results would not automatically result in a closure of the park."

Mawdsley said he's hoping Gallant will respond to his letter soon.

"The premier needs to establish a group of professionals to investigate what's causing this pollution immediately," he said. "I don't think it's appropriate to have a bunch of meetings in Fredericton. I think we need some action on the ground in action on the ground in Pointe-du-Chne."