XN000022-1991-05-09 — Page 16

THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1991

15

GRADING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY

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(THURSDAY}

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

THE EPD SPOKESMAN SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE GRADING SYSTEM IS ΤΟ INFORM SWIMMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE STATE OF BACTERIOLOGICAL POLLUTION AT VARIOUS BEACHES.

THE GRADING WILL BE SEASON, TO COINCIDE WITH THE USUALLY SAMPLED.

ANNOUNCED BIWEEKLY DURING THE BATHING FREQUENCY AT WHICH BEACH WATERS ARE

THE GRADING IS BASED ON THE MOST RECENT E. COLI DATA OBTAINED BY THE EPD IN ITS ROUTINE MONITORING PROGRAMME.

AS WITH LAST YEAR, THE GRADING ALSO INCLUDES AN ESTIMATE OF THE RISK OF SUFFERING SOMB MINOR SKIN OR GASTROINTESTINAL COMPLAINTS AS A RESULT OF SWIMMING AT A BEACH WHICH HAS SOME DEGREE OF POLLUTION.

THE ESTIMATE IS BASED ON A VERY LARGE BODY OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION GATHERED IN HONG KONG IN RECENT BATHING SEASONS.

THE GRADING OF SOME BEACHES MAY VARY DURING THE SUMMER. THIS REPRESENTS A NATURAL FLUCTUATION IN THE BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF BATHING WATERS IN MOST CASES, AS RAIN AND TIDES BRING MORE OR LES9 POLLUTION TO THE BEACHES.

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.

"BEACHES WITH HIGHLY DEVELOPED HINTERLANDS ARE LIKELY TO BE MORE POLLUTED THAN THE GRADES SUGGEST DURING AND AFTER HEAVY RAIN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

AFTER IS

"BATHERS SHOULD AVOID SUCH BEACHES FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS A STORM, LONGER IF THE WEATHER REMAINS OVERCAST OR LESS IF THERE STRONG SUNSHINE.

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THE SYSTEM FOR GRADING BEACH WATER QUALITY IS AS FOLLOWS:

GRADE "1" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD. THE R. COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 24 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED RISK OF MINOR ILLNESS TO SWIMMERS IS

UNDETECTABLE.

GRADE "2" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS FAIR. THE E. COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 180 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO MORE THAN 10 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

/GRADE "3"