THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1988
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GRADING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY (THURSDAY} ANNOUNCED THE LATEST GRADES ON THE BACTERIAL WATER QUALITY OF ALL BATHING BEACHES IN HONG KONG.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GRADING SYSTEM IS то INFORM SWIMMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE STATE OF BACTERIAL POLLUTION AT VARIOUS BEACHES.
THE GRADING IS BASED ON THE E. COLI DATA OBTAINED BY THE EPD IN ITS ROUTINE BEACH WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMME.
THE E. COLI VATA USED FOR GRADING ARE BASED ON THE MEDIAN VALUES OF THE MOST RECENT FIVE RESULTS, OBTAINED OVER A Two AND HALF MONTH PERIOD ACCORDING TO THE USUAL SAMPLING FREQUENCY
THE GRADES FOR SOME BEACHES MAY FLUCTUATE. THIS REPRESENTS A NATURAL FLUCTUATION IN THE BACTERIAL QUALITY OF THE PEACHES IN MOST CASES, AS RAIN AND TIDES BRING MORE OR LESS POLLUTION 10 THE KWIMMING AREAS.
NEVERTHELESS, THE GRADES GIVE A GOOD GENERAL PICTURE OF THE BACTERIAL WATER QUALITY
BEACHES, AND FORM THE BEST AVAILABLE
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FORECAST OF BEACH WATER QUALITY IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
THE SYSTEM FOR GRADING BEACH WATER QUALITY IS AS FOLLOWS:
E.
COLI COUNT IS BETWEEN
"A" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN
0-99 PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD.
"B" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN
E.
COLT COUNT IS BETWEEN 100-999 PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS ACCEPTABLE.
"C" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN R. COLI COUNT IS 1,000 OR MORE
PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR..
THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE A BEACH TO SWIMMERS 19 BASED ON A JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE.
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NORMALLY, A RECOMMENDATION ON CLOSURE WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE URBAN OR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IF A · "C" GRADING OCCURRED REPEATEDLY. SIMILARLY A RECOMMENDATION TO REOPEN A CLOSED BEACH WOULD ONLY BF CONSIDERED IF A "B" GRADF Ок BETTER WERE CONSISTENTLY OBTAINED.
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AT PRESENT, FIVE BATHING BEACHES HAVE BEEN DECLARED UNSUITABLE FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES, BASED ON THE WATER QUALITY DURING PAST SEASONS.
/THESE BEACHES
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