WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1985
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MARINE WATER QUALITY +SATISFACTORY IN GENERAL+
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THE QUALITY OF HONG KONG'S MARINE WATERS WAS, IN GENERAL, SATISFACTORY, AND THERE WAS NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OF ANY SIGNIFICANT RISK OF DISEASE IN THE WATERS OF THE BATHING BEACHES, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
BUT THERE WERE PROBLEM AREAS, HE ADDED, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN ON WATER QUALITY IN HONG KONG PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO BATHING AREAS.
+RATHER SURPRISINGLY, HE SAID, THE WATER QUALITY OF MOST OF VICTORIA HARBOUR WAS STILL CONSIDERED BY AND LARGE TO BE IN A SATISFACTORY CONDITION DESPITE THE HEAVY LOAD IT HAD TO BEAR.
OF THE PROBLEM AREAS, DEEP BAY WAS MODERATELY POLLUTED, HE SAID,
THE LIMITED TIDAL FLUSHING IN THE BAY COULD NOT COPE FULLY WITH THE HEAVY POLLUTANT LOADS FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES AND FROM SHENZHEW.
ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, TOLO HARBOUR, PORT SHELTER, HEBE HAVEN AND JUNK BAY ESPECIALLY TOLO HARBOUR WERE
- POLLUTED INSHORE AND HAD DETERIORATED SERIOUSLY FROM THEIR NATURAL CONDITION.
ENCLOSED AREAS SUCH AS TYPHOON SHELTERS REQUIRED SPECIAL REMEDIAL MEASURES AND FLOATING REFUSE PRESENTED A SEPARATE PROBLEM, HE SAID.
+
CONCERNING THE 40 GAZETTED BEACHES, AND THE 11 NON-GAZETTED BEACHES POPULAR WITH BATHERS, MR CHAMBERS SAID, THE WATER IN THESE BEACHES WAS JUDGED AGAINST A STANDARD AGREED BY EPCOM IN APRIL 1931, AND BASED ON A WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION RECOMMENDATION.
THERE WERE, HE SAID, THREE BEACHES WHICH CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO MEET THE REQUIRED STANDARD CASTLE PEAK, ANGLERS', BOTH GAZETTED, AND BUTTERFLY BEACH, AND THERE WERE NOTICES WARNING PEOPLE NOT TO SWIM THERE.
THE REMAINING BEACHES WERE CLASSIFIED AS +SATISFACTORY+ OR
+600D+,
THERE WERE STILL SOME POLLUTING AND POTENTIALLY POLLUTING DRAINS WHICH DISCHARGED ACROSS OR CLOSE TO BATHING BEACHES.
THE BEACH POLLUTION ACTION COMMITTEE WHICH HE CHAIRED, HAD IDENTIFIED AND INVESTIGATED THESE DRAINS, AND ACTION WAS IN HAND TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION.
/MR CHAMBERS
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