Parlee Beach water quality rated poor

Parlee Beach Provincial Park officials are asking people visiting the popular New Brunswick summer tourist hangout to be aware that thewater quality there has received a poor rating for the second time this month.

People visiting the beach located just outside of Shediac in southeastern New Brunswick are advised not to submerge their head under the water. Anyone with a break in their skin should stay out of the water, and elderly people and children are better off staying out of the water altogether.

The beach's water quality also dipped to a poor rating during the New Brunswick Day long weekend earlier this month.

Marcel Richard, the manager of Parlee Beach Provincial Park, said there are no visible signs that bacteria numbers have climbed.

It's important people pay attention to the warnings posted at the beach, he said.

Richard said factors such as high temperatures and high winds, such as those produced by the hurricane that has been travelling over the Atlantic Ocean this week, contribute to bacterial growth.

"We had the water quality index categorized as poor due to extremely high temperatures we had last week, and [Hurricane] Bill doesn't help us out," Richard said.