Water quality issues have been plaguing some New Brunswick beaches, including popular Parlee Beach. While the signage at Parlee Beach on Tuesday said the water quality is good, some were hesitant to jump in for a swim.

“We had a beautiful beach and now, basically, it's ruined,” says beachgoer Michelle Gaudet.

Officials with the department of health say water samples are taken each day before noon and transported to the Research and Productivity Council (RPC) labs in Fredericton for testing. The lab is accredited for E. coli and enterococcus testing, which the RPC labs in Moncton are not. The results are posted two days later.

Members of the Red Dot Association, a group concerned about water quality at Parlee and Murray Beaches, say the two-day wait makes the signs useless.

On Tuesday, society members took their own samples from a creek next to an overflow station – the creek drains into Shediac Bay.

“Water quality is being tested on the beach, but it's not being tested in the two places where they found the most severe contamination last fall,” says Tim Borlace, of the Red Dot Association.

Residents are also pointing a finger at boaters. About 300 boats are registered at Pointe-du-Chêne, not all have toilet facilities, but many do.

“There's toilet paper all along the sides,” says resident Susan Campbell. “You can't have that much toilet paper coming from an overflow. ”

Local marinas are installing new, free, pump out stations for boats. The general manager of the Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf, Victor Cormier, hopes the lack of a fee will be incentive enough for boaters to use the service.

“We invite all the boaters to please, please, do not empty your tanks in the bay. Come either to the Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf or to the Shediac Yacht Club,” says Cormier.

Residents who live adjacent to the beach have to pay for access and some want their money back because of the water quality issues

The samples taken by the members of the Red Dot Association will be tested in Moncton. Results are expected to be back by Thursday.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Joanthan MacInnis.