XN000022-1989-04-13 — Page 14

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1989

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THE SYSTEM FOR GRADING BEACH WATER QUALITY IS AS FOLLOWS:

MEAN

"A" GRADE INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD. THE E.COLI COUNT 19 LESS THAN 100 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS LESS THAN SEVEN CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

"B" GRADE INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS ACCEPTABLE. MEAN E.COLI COUNT IS LESS THAN 1.000 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS THAN 18 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

THE

LESS

"C" GRADE INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR. THE MEAN E.COL1 COUNT IS 1,000 OR MORE PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS 18 OR MORE CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

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 THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IF A "C" GRADING OCCURRED REPEATEDLY, SO THAT THE AVERAGE HEALTH RISK OVER THE BATHING SEASON EXCEEDED 15 CASES PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

SIMILARLY, A RECOMMENDATION TO RE-OPEN A CLOSED ONLY RE CONSIDERED IF A "B" GRADE OR BETTER OBTAINED.

BEACH WOULD

WERE CONSISTENTLY

AT PRESENT, SIX 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, ROCKY BAY AND TING KAU.

THEY ARE POLLUTED BY FARCAL WASTES AND FAILED TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND HONG KONG STANDARDS.

PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM IN THESE SIX BEACHES, THEY IDENTIFIED BY AN

IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE.

THE ARE

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 30.3.89)

(AS AT 13.4.89)

HONG KONG SOUTH

BIG WAVE BAY

A

CRUNG FROM ROK

A

A

A

/DEEP WATER