XN000022-1992-01-16 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1992

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IN THE PERIOD COVERED BY THE REPORTS, WATER QUALITY WAS MONITORED AT 75 RIVER AND 92 MARINE LOCATIONS.

AT EACH, A WIDE RANGE OF PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS 'PROVIDE FULL COVERAGE OF ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ON WATER AND SEDIMENT QUALITY.

THE RIVER REPORT SHOWS THAT THE WATER QUALITY IN SOME OF HONG KONG'S RIVERS IS IMPROVING.

OTHER RIVERS REMAIN IN AN EXTREMELY BAD STATE. THE THOSE IN THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE TERRITORY WHERE THE WASTE CONTROLS HAVE NOT YET BEEN INTRODUCED.

WORST ARE

LIVESTOCK

IMPROVEMENT IN THESE RIVERS DEPENDS ON THE GOVERNMENT ENFORCING THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LAW, PROVIDING NEW OR IMPROVED SEWRAGE UNDER ITS MASTER PLANS, AND COMPLETING RIVER CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS Į

ALL OF THESE ACTIONS ARE IN PROGRESS BUT DEMAND MORE

RESOURCES.

TIME AND

THE MARINE REPORT SHOWS THAT THE COASTAL WATER QUALITY CONTINUED TO GIVE CAUSE FOR CONCERN DURING 1990.

THE

AREAS SUCH AS VICTORIA HARBOUR, INNER DEEP BAY AND MOST OF TYPHOON SHELTERS HAVE VERY POOR WATER QUALITY. THE STEEPEST DECLINES CONTINUE IN THE URBAN TYPHOON SHELTERS.

THE HIGH LEVELS OF CHEMICAL POLLUTANTS AND HEAVY METALS IN THE SEDIMENTS SHOW SERIOUS INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION IN VICTORIA HARBOUR.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID BETWEEN 1991 AND 2001, DREDGING ACTIVITIES ARE EXPECTED IN TERRITORIAL WATERS OF HONG KONG WHICH WILL GENERATE AN ESTIMATED OF 26 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF HEAVILY CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS.

SAFE DISPOSAL OF THESE SEDIMENTS COULD AMOUNT TO $1.6 BILLION, AN AVERAGE OF $60 PER CUBIC METRE.

INADEQUATELY TREATED SEWAGE DISCHARGED INTO OUR COASTAL WATERS CONTINUES TO CAUSE PROBLEMS IN MANY AREAS WHERE THE CURRENTS ARE WEAK.

THE RESULT CAN BE RED TIDES, WHICH ARE ALWAYS HARMFUL AND MAY BE TOXIC, OR LOSS OF OXYGEN FROM THE WATER, WHICH KILLS FISH AND CAN CAUSE ECONOMIC AND HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR OUR COASTAL CITIES.

AN EPD SPOKESMAN SAID PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE 1991 MONITORING RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE TRENDS OF THE 1990 RESULTS HAD CONTINUED IN BOTH THE MARINE AND INLAND WATERS OF HONG KONG.

THE REPORTS ON MARINE WATER QUALITY AND RIVER WATER QUALITY CONTAIN USEFUL INFORMATION FOR SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS WHOSE WORK RELATES TO WATER QUALITY.

TOWN

/THE REPORTS