Mt.
A study raises link between urbanization and water contamination at Parlee Beach.
A study by environmental microbiology students at Mount Allison University has found there could be a link between development along the coast and fecal contamination of the water at Parlee Beach in Shediac.
Prof. Douglas Campbell started working on the project in November, when he was approached by community members in the Shediac area who were concerned about continuing problems with water quality.
"Then they started the preliminary analysis of patterns over time."
The evidence shows there are continuing problems at Murray and Parlee beaches, which are not indicative of a larger problem in the Northumberland Strait.
A second group of students mapped changes in land use in Shediac over the years.
Things have crept back up Campbell said there was a period in the early 2000s when the water at Parlee Beach was clean, with contamination problems in the years before and after that period of time.
Although traces of animal feces have been found in Shediac Bay, Campbell is confident a major source of the contamination is from humans.
Last week, the province indicated it would sample the water at Parlee Beach on a daily basis and at five different locations this summer, which many think will help zero in on the problem.