(b)
(c)
(d)
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the measures adopted by the departments concerned during the past three years to improve the water quality of these watercourses;
the current strength of the Government staff who are directly working on the improvement to the water quality of watercourses; and
the long-term measures it will adopt to improve the water quality of watercourses?
Reply:
Mr President,
(a)
The water quality of watercourses varies along their length and therefore it is not possible to give a single grading for each watercourse, However, based on the Water Quality Index used by the Environmental Protection Department for assessing river
for assessing river water quality, the classifications at the most downstream sampling station in each of Hong Kong's eleven major watercourses in 1995 were as follows:
Classification
(b)
River Name
Mui Wo
Excellent
Shing Mun
Good
Lam Tsuen
Fair
Tai Po
Kam Tin
Tuen Mun
Ho Chung
Good Very Bad
Good
Good
Ganges
Indus
Very Bad
Bad
Beas
Yuen Long Creek
Very Bad
Very Bad
A wide variety of measures which contributed to improving river water quality have been implemented by various departments in the past three years. These measures included:
(1)
Environmental Protection Department:
Declaration of the last three Water Control Zones under
the Water Pollution Control Ordinance, i.e. Eastern Buffer, Western Buffer, and Victoria Harbour.