5
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1990
THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE A BEACH TO SWIMMERS IS BASED ON A JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE. NORMALLY, THE CLOSURE OF A BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE URBAN OR REGIONAL COUNCIL IF A "4" GRADING OCCURRED REPEATEDLY, SO THAT THE AVERAGE HEALTH RISK OVER THE BATHING SEASON EXCEEDED 15 CASES PER 1,000 SWIMMERS. SIMILARLY, THE REOPENING OF A CLOSED BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF A "3" GRADE OR BETTER WERE CONSISTENTLY OBTAINED.
NAMELY CASTLE AT PRESENT, TWO BATHING BEACHES,
PEAK AND OLD CAFETERIA, HAVE BEEN DECLARED UNSUITABLE FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES, BASED ON THE WATER QUALITY DURING PAST SEASONS. THEY ARE POLLUTED BY FAECAL WASTES AND FAIL TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS. THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM IN THE WATER AT THESE
IN TWO BEACHES.
ADDITION, ROCKY BAY BEACH HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES BY THE URBAN COUNCIL. THESE THREE BEACHES ARR IDENTIFIED BY AN "X" IN THE FOLLOWING LIST,
THE GRADES ON THE BACTERIAL WATER QUALITY OF VARIOUS BEACHES IN HONG KONG AS AT TODAY ARE LISTED BELOW:
BEACH
LAST GRADING
PRESENT GRADING
(AS AT 26.7.90)
(AS AT 9.8.90)
HONG KONG SOUTH
BIG WAVE BAY
3
2
CHUNG HOM KOK
1
1
DEEP WATER BAY
2
2
HAIRPIN
2
2
MIDDLE BAY
1
1
REPULSE BAY
1
1
SHEK O
2
2
SOUTH BAY
1
1
ST STEPHEN'S
2
2
TURTLE COVE
2
2
STANLEY MAIN
1
1
ROCKY BAY
X
X
TO TEI WAN*
1
1
/TUEN MUN