XN000022-1983-06-14 — Page 9

TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1983

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PUBLIC WARNED ABOUT BUTTERFLY BEACH POLLUTION

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BEACHGOERS ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM IN BUTTERFLY BEACH IN TUEN MUN, BECAUSE OF POLLUTION OF THE WATER THERE.

THE BEACH, LOCATED AT THE SOUTH-WESTERN PORTION OF CASTLE PEAK BAY, IS NOT GAZETTED AS A PUBLIC BATHING BEACH UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE.

WARNING NOTICES HAVE, MEANWHILE, BEEN PUT UP ON THE BEACH.

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (OPERATIONS) OF NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES, MR BOWEN LEUNG, SAID TODAY THAT CHECKS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE BEACH WATER HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY BELOW THE ACCEPTABLE STANDARD SET BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION FOR BATHING.

ESCHERICHIA COLI IS A COMMON TYPE OF BACTERIA FOUND IN THE FAECES OF WARM BLOODED ANIMALS, AND IS USED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AS AN INDICATOR TO MEASURE THE DEGREE OF SEWAGE POLLUTION, MR LEUNG EXPLAINED.

+ IN THEORY, THE POORER THE QUALITY OF WATER AT A BATHING BEACH, THE MORE CHANCE THERE WILL BE FOR SWIMMERS TO CONTRACT DISEASES PARTICULARLY OF THE GASTRO-INTESTINAL GROUP SUCH AS TYPHOID, DYSENTERY, CHOLERA OR GESTRO-INTESTINAL DISORDERS, MR LEUNG SAID.

MR LEUNG SAID THE APPARENT MAIN SOURCE OF POLLUTION WAS THE TUEN MUN NULLAH WHICH CARRIES ANIMAL WASTE AND SEWAGE DISCHARGED FROM VILLAGES BEYOND THE NORTHERN BOUNDARIES OF TUEN MUN NEW TOWN.

THE SECOND POLLUTION SOURCE MIGHT BE TWO STREAMS CONTAMINATED WITH HUMAN AND ANIMAL WASTE, WHICH DISCHARGE DIRECTLY ON TO THE BEACH.

ON THE ADVICE OF THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT BOARD, MR LEUNG SAID, THE NTSD WOULD BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE LIFEGUARD SERVICE BETWEEN 9 AM AND 6 PM AT THE BEACH ONLY TO LOOK AFTER THE SAFETY OF THOSE BEACHGOERS WHO WILFULLY IGNORE THE PUBLIC HEALTH WARNINGS AND SWIM AT THE BEACH AT THE IR OWN RISK DURING THE SWIMMING SEASON.+

HOWEVER, HE ALSO WARNED BATHERS THAT THE CURRENTS NEAR THE BEACH WERE VERY STRONG AND KNOWN TO BE DANGEROUS.

MR LEUNG SAID THE NTSD WOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WATER QUALITY OF THE BEACH REGULARLY.

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MR LEUNG STRONGLY URGED BATHERS TO USE THE OTHER THREE GAZETTED PUBLIC BEACHES IN THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT THE CAFETERIA (OLD) BEACH, CAFETERIA (NEW) BEACH AND KADOOR IE BEACH AS THE WATER QUALITY THERE WAS OF AN ACCEPTABLE HYGIENIC STANDARD.

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