WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1994
IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT POLICY, THE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERS THAT THE NUMBER SHOULD RELATE TO BOTH THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY AND THE EXISTING AND ANTICIPATED WORKLOAD.
THE PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY THE ASSOCIATION THAT THERE SHOULD BE ONE PRINCIPAL SURVEY OFFICER TO ASSIST ONE SENIOR TOWN PLANNER MUST BE SUPPORTED WITH FULL JUSTIFICATIONS IN REGARD ΤΟ THESE TWO ASPECTS.
"NEVERTHELESS, THE MANAGEMENT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO DISCUSS FURTHER WITH THE STAFF SIDE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE DEPARTMENT WILL ENDEAVOUR TO MINIMISE THE DISRUPTION MAY BE CAUSED WITH STAFF REDEPLOYMENT AND RESCHEDULING OF PRIORITIES.
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NO E COLI BACTERIA IN DRINKING WATER
THAT WORK
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) POINTED OUT THAT THE DETECTION OF E COLI BACTERIA IN SOME OF THE WATER SAMPLES REFERRED ΤΟ IN A RECENT MEDIA REPORT COULD BE BECAUSE OF SAMPLING PROCEDURES AND CONTAMINATION OF WATER TAPS OR THE FILTERS ATTACHED TO THE TAPS.
HE SAID THE TEST RESULTS WERE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
"THE TEST RESULTS OF THE WATER SAMPLES TAKEN EARLIER BY THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT IN THE SAME DISTRICTS USING PROPER SAMPLING METHODS SHOWED NO E COLI BACTERIA IN THE WATER, HE SAID.
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ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY HIGHER QUANTITIES OF MANGANESE AND ZINC WERE DETECTED IN SOME OF THE WATER SAMPLES REFERRED TO IN THE REPORT, THE EFFECTS OF THESE METALS ARE NOT SIMILAR TO THOSE COMMONLY KNOWN AS TOXIC HEAVY METALS SUCH AS LEAD, MERCURY AND CADMIUM WHICH PRESENT SERIOUS HEALTH DETRIMENT EVEN IN VERY MINUTE CONCENTRATIONS.
FOR
F
"INDEED BOTH MANGANESE AND ZINC ARE ESSENTIAL TRACE ELEMENTS NORMAL METABOLISM. CURRENTLY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAS SET A PROVISIONAL HEALTH-BASED GUIDELINE VALUE OF 0.5 MILLIGRAM PER LITRE FOR MANGANESE IN DRINKING WATER, WHILST THE LEVEL OF THREE MILLIGRAMS PER LITRE IS SET FOR ZINC ON AESTHETIC GROUNDS ONLY," HE SAID.
"THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS THAT THE HEAVILY CORRODED PIPES AND DIRTY WATER TANKS ARE THE PRIME CAUSES OF THE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF MANGANESE AND ZINC IN THE DISCOLOURED WATER SAMPLES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WATER HAS REMAINED STAGNANT IN THE WATER PIPES OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD.
"THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT CARRIES OUT INTENSIVE CONTINUOUS MONITORING THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY TO ENSURE THAT THE QUALITY OF WATER SUPPLIED TO THE CONSUMERS FULLY COMPLIES WITH THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION'S GUIDELINES CHEMICALLY AND BACTERIOLOGICALLY, HE ADDED.
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