XN000022-1989-08-17 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1989

THE

BATHING WATERS COMMONLY BECOME WORSE DUE TO HEAVY USAGE DURING SUMMER. HOWEVER, THE GRADES GIVE A GOOD GENERAL PICTURE OF THE WATER QUALITY AT BATHING BEACHES AT THE TIME OF REPORTING AND FORM THE BEST AVAILABLE FORECAST FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

THE SYSTEM FOR GRADING BEACH WATER QUALITY IS AS FOLLOWS:

"

'A'

tr

GRADE INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD. THE MEAN E. COLI COUNT IS 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"

THE

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 LESS THAN 18 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

"C" GRADE INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR. THE MEAN E. COLI 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 18 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, 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 BE CONSIDERED IF A "B" GRADE OR BETTER WERE OBTAINED.

BEACH WOULD

CONSISTENTLY

AT PRESENT, SIX BATHING BEACHES HAVE BEEN DECLARED UNSUITABLE FOR SWIMMING PURPOSE. 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 FAECAL WASTES AND FAIL TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND HONG KONG STANDARDS. THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM IN THESE SIX BEACHES. THEY 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

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