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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1993
LAST REPORT ON BEACH WATER QUALITY GRADING THIS YEAR
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY (THURSDAY) ANNOUNCED
BATHING GRADES ON THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF ALL BEACHES IN HONG KONG.
TO THE PURPOSE OF THE GRADING SYSTEM IS
INFORM SWIMMERS AND. THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE STATE OF BACTERIOLOGICAL POLLUTION AT VARIOUS BEACHES.
THE A SPOKESMAN FOR
DEPARTMENT SAID THE GRADING WOULD BE
ΤΟ DURING THE BATHING SEASON
COINCIDE ANNOUNCED BIWEEKLY
WITH THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH BEACH WATERS WERE USUALLY SAMPLED.
THE GRADING IS BASED ON THE MOST RECENT E COLI DATA OBTAINED BY EPD IN ITS ROUTINE MONITORING PROGRAMME.
AS WITH LAST YEAR, THE GRADING ALSO INCLUDES AN ESTIMATE OF THE
A RISK OF SUFFERING SOME MINOR SKIN OR GASTROINTESTINAL COMPLAINTS AS RESULT OF SWIMMING AT A BEACH WHICH HAS SOME DEGREE OF POLLUTION.
THE ESTIMATE IS BASED ON A VERY LARGE BODY OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION GATHERED IN HONG KONG IN RECENT BATHING SEASONS.
THE GRADING OF SOME BEACHES MAY VARY DURING THE SUMMER. THIS THE REPRESENTS A NATURAL FLUCTUATION IN
BACTERIOLOGICAL
OF QUALITY BRING MORE OR LESS BATHING WATERS IN MOST CASES, AS RAIN AND TIDES POLLUTION TO THE BEACHES.
HOWEVER, THE GRADES GIVE A GOOD GENERAL PICTURE OF THE WATER BEST QUALITY AT BATHING BEACHES AT THE TIME OF REPORTING AND FORM THE AVAILABLE FORECAST FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
"BEACHES WITH HIGHLY DEVELOPED HINTERLANDS ARE LIKELY ΤΟ BE MORE POLLUTED THAN THE GRADES SUGGEST DURING AND AFTER HEAVY RAIN.
"BATHERS SHOULD AVOID SUCH BEACHES FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS AFTER IF THERE IS A STORM, LONGER IF THE WEATHER REMAINS OVERCAST OR LESS STRONG SUNSHINE." THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE SYSTEM FOR GRADING BRACH WATER QUALITY IS AS FOLLOWS:
GRADE "1" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD. THE E COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 24 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH ΤΟ BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED RISK OF MINOR ILLNESS SWIMMERS IS UNDETECTABLE.
*
GRADE "2" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS FAIR. THE E COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 180 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT BACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO MORE THAN 10 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.
EACH
GRADE "3" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR. THE E COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.
MORE
/*GRADE "4"
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