XN000022-1988-06-30 — Page 13

12

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1988

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.

"B" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN E. COLI COUNT IS BETWEEN 100-999 PER MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS ACCEPTABLE.

"C" GRADE INDICATES THE MEDIAN E. COLI COUNT IS 1,000 OR MORE PER 100 MILLILITRES, AND THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR.

THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE A BEACH ΤΟ 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 THE 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, FIVE BATHING BEACHES HAVE BEEN DECLARED UNSUITABLE FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES, BASED ON THE WATER QUALITY DURING PAST SEASONS.

THESE BEACHES ARE ANGLERS', CASTLE PEAK, SILVERMINE BAY, OLD CAFETERIA AND ROCKY BAY. THEY ARE POLLUTED BY FARCAL WASTES AND FAILED TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND HONG KONG STANDARDS. THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT ΤΟ SWIM IN THESE FIVE BEACHES, WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED BY AN "X" IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE.

THE GRADES ON THE BACTERIAL WATER QUALITY OF VARIOUS BEACHES IN HONG KONG AS AT TODAY AND TWO WEEKS AGO ARE LISTED BELOW:

BEACH

LAST GRADING

PRESENT GRADING

(AS AT 16.6.88)

(AS AT 30.6.88)

HONG KONG SOUTH

BIG WAVE BAY

B

B

CHUNG HOM KOK

B

B

DEEP WATER BAY

A

A

HAIRPIN

B

A

MIDDLE BAY

C

C

REPULSE BAY

B

B

/SHEK O