12
THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1992
GRADE "4" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS VERY POOR. THE E. COLI COUNT IS MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITERS AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS MORE THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.
THE DECISION ON 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 COUNCIL OR REGIONAL COUNCIL IF
IF A
"4" GRADE REPEATEDLY, SO THAT THE AVERAGE HEALTH RISK OVER THE EXCEEDED 15 CASES PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.
OCCURRED BATHING SEASON
SIMILARLY, THE REOPENING OF A CLOSED BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF A GRADE "3" OR BETTER WERE CONSISTENTLY OBTAINED.
AT PRESENT, TWO BATHING BEACHES, NAMELY CASTLE 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 то ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS. THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT SWIM IN THE WATER AT THESE TWO BEACHES.
TO
IN ADDITION, ROCKY BAY BEACH HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES BY THE URBAN COUNCIL. THESE THREE BEACHES ARE IDENTIFIED AN "X" IN THE FOLLOWING LIST.
BY
THE GRADES ON THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF VARIOUS BEACHES IN HONG KONG TODAY ARE LISTED BELOW:
BEACH
PREVIOUS GRADING
PRESENT GRADING
(AS AT 30.4.92)
(AS AT 14.5.92)
HONG KONG SOUTH
BIG WAVE BAY
CHUNG HOM KOK
DEEP WATER BAY
HAIRPIN
MIDDLE BAY
REPULSE BAY
SHEK O
SOUTH BAY
ST. STEPHEN'S
TURTLE COVE
STANLEY MAIN ROCKY BAY TO TEI WAN*
NNNNNANHNNNX -
3
2
31
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
2
2
2
NINNINXH
2
1
2
2
2
X
1
1
/TUEN MUN