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ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Question No
Pollution of bathing beaches
REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN LUNG
IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 1988
1. MR. CHEUNG asked (in Cantonese):
Question In view of the approaching summer season, will
Government inform this Council of the various measures it will take to ensure that Hong Kong's beaches and coastal waters are protected against pollution, especially from sewage discharges of private treatment facilities which are not operated properly?
SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE:
Sir,
We remain very concerned about the condition of
Hong Kong's bathing beaches. Although there have been some
improvements (Butterfly Beach at Tuen Mun was opened again
last year for the first time since 1981) the general trend
the is not encouraging. Last year, all 12 gazetted beaches in
A the Urban Council area and 10 of the 30 gazetted beaches in
the Regional Council area
Council area were affected by a deterioration
in water quality. This year, we shall enter the bathing
season with two further beaches likely to be declared
unsuitable for swimming.
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The pollution is mainly caused by discharges of
sewage from inadequate or badly operated treatment
facilities and the problem is compounded by rapid population
increases in certain areas. For example, the population of
and
Repulse Bay, Middle Bay and South Bay has increased by 50 per cent over the past decade, At present, there is no mains
sewerage in this area.