XN000022-1988-06-16 — Page 21

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 1988

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FORTNIGHTLY GRADING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY

* * * *

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY ANNOUNCED GRADES ON THE BACTERIAL WATER QUALITY OF BEACHES IN HONG KONG.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GRADING SYSTEM IS

TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE STATE OF BACTERIAL POLLUTION

EACHES.

THE GRADING IS BASED ON THE E. COLI DATA OBTAINED IN ITS ROUTINE BEACH WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAMME.

(THURSDAY)

ALL BATHING

SWIMMERS AND AT VARIOUS

BY THE EPD

THE E. COLI DATA USED FOR GRADING ARE BASED ON THE MEDIAN VALUES OF THE MOST RECENT FIVE RESULTS, OBTAINED OVER A PERIOD OF TWO AND A HALF MONTHS ACCORDING TO THE USUAL SAMPLING FREQUENCY,

THE GRADES FOR SOME BEACHES MAY FLUCTUATE. THIS REPRESENTS A NATURAL FLUCTUATION IN THE BACTERIAL QUALITY OF THE BEACHES IN MOST CASES, AS RAIN AND TIDES BRING MORE OR LESS POLLUTION TO THE SWIMMING AREAS.

NEVERTHELESS, THE GRADES GIVE A GOOD GENERAL PICTURE OF THE BACTERIAL WATER QUALITY OF BEACHES, AND FORM THE BEST AVAILABLE FORECAST OF BEACH WATER QUALITY IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

THE SYSTEM FOR GRADING BEACH WATER QUALITY IS AS FOLLOWS:

"A" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN K. COLI COUNT IS BETWEEN 0-99 PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD.

E.

"B" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN

COLI COUNT IS BETWEEN 100-999 PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS ACCEPTABLE.

"C" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN E. COLI COUNT IS 1000 OR MORE PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR.

THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE A BEACH TO SWIMMERS IS BASED ON A JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE.

NORMALLY, A RECOMMENDATION ON CLOSURE WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE URBAN OR REGIONAL COUNCIL IF A "C" GRADING OCCURRED REPEATEDLY.

SIMILARLY, A RECOMMENDATION TO REOPEN A CLOSED BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF A "B" GRADE OR BETTER WERE CONSISTENTLY OBTAINED.

/AT PRESENT,