XN000022-1991-05-09 — Page 17

16

THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1991

GRADE "3" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS ACCEPTABLE. THE E. COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO MORK THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

GRADE "4" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR. THE E. COLI COUNT IS MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS MORE THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

IS

THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE A BEACH ΤΟ SWIMMERS BASED ON

JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE. NORMALLY, THE CLOSURE OF A BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE URBAN OR REGIONAL COUNCIL IF A "4" GRADE OCCURRED REPEATEDLY, THAT THE AVERAGE HEALTH RISK OVER THE BATHING SEASON EXCEEDED CASES PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

SIMILARLY, THE REOPENING OF A CLOSED BEACH WOULD ONLY CONSIDERED IF A "3" GRADE OR BETTER WERE CONSISTENTLY OBTAINED.

SO

15

BE

AT PRESENT, TWO BATHING BEACHES, NAMELY CASTLE PEAK AND OLD CAFETERIA, HAVE BEEN DECLARED UNSUITABLE FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES, BASED ON THE WATER QUALITY DURING PAST SEASONS. THEY ARE POLLUTED BY FARCAL WASTES AND FAIL TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS.

THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM IN THE WATER AT THESE TWO BEACHES. IN ADDITION, ROCKY BAY BEACH HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES BY THE URBAN COUNCIL. THESE THREE BEACHES ARE IDENTIFIED BY AN "X" IN THE FOLLOWING LIST.

THE GRADES ON THE

BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY BEACHES IN HONG KONG AS AT TODAY ARE LISTED BELOW:

BEACH

HONG KONG SOUTH

OF VARIOUS

PREVIOUS GRADING

PRESENT GRADINO

(AS AT 25.4.91)

(AS AT 9.5.91)

BIG WAVE BAY

01

2

2

CHUNG HOM KOK

1

1

DEEP WATER BAY

1

1

HAIRPIN

1

i

MIDDLE BAY

1

1

REPULSE BAY

1

1

SHEK O

2

2

SOUTH BAY

ST STEPHEN'S

1

1

1

1

TURTLE COVE

1

1

STANLEY MAIN

ROCKY BAY TO TEI WAN*

2

2

X

X

1

t

/TUEN MUN