For the ninth time this season, and for the third day in a row, no swimming advisories have been posted at Parlee Beach due to high bacteria levels.
Water quality had been a long standing problem in the area, but warnings to stay away aren't enough to keep everyone out of the water.
Beach goers and local residents say they are getting more frustrated with the situation.
“Today, I was chilling on the sand, wasn't really in the water, usually I am, but not today,” says visitor Cole Ritchie.
“We've told people to come here - Shediac's beautiful,” says visitor Celeste Blackmore. “They're coming here this summer and they won't be able to go in the water. It was our first time walking yesterday and we didn't even want to dip our toes in there.”
Monday’s warning was the result of water samples showing high signs of fecal contamination.
Samples from Saturday show an enterococcus contamination count up to 233 at Parlee Beach and more than 2,000 at Murray Corner - well over the acceptable limit of 35. Levels for E.coli also surpassed a level considered safe for swimming.
The office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health notes there is a delay between the sample collection dates, and the posting of results because of the time taken to analyze them.
An automatic no swimming advisory is also issued after heavy rainfall, as part of new water quality guidelines implemented in April. Last year, the province simply issued a water quality rating of poor, fair, or good, rather than a no swimming advisory.
Red Dot Association vice president Arthur Melanson approves of the new system, but still thinks there are still kinks to work out.
“The only thing that's a bit of a problem is the time lapse that there is between the results are posted and the tests are done,” says Melanson. “We have a 48 hour delay and somehow the government needs to find a way to shorten that lapse.”
The Red Dot Association pushes for cleaner local water and believe a moratorium on development and wetland preservation would be a step in the right direction.
“You've got the wetlands there, they act as kidneys to filter the water that we drink, filter the water that goes into our ocean,” says Melanson. “If we keep taking them out, what's left to filter that water that goes in? It's bound to get contaminants in there.”
Saturday’s test results are the highest so far this season. Officials say while the beach itself will remain open, visitors should stay vigilant and check conditions before going into the water.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.