XN000022-1992-05-14 — Page 13

12

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1992

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

THE DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO CLOSE A BEACH TO SWIMMERS IS BASED ON A JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE.

NORMALLY, THE CLOSURE OF A BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL OR REGIONAL COUNCIL IF

IF A

"4" GRADE REPEATEDLY, SO THAT THE AVERAGE HEALTH RISK OVER THE EXCEEDED 15 CASES PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

OCCURRED BATHING SEASON

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

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 FAECAL WASTES AND FAIL то ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS. THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT SWIM IN THE WATER AT THESE TWO BEACHES.

TO

IN ADDITION, ROCKY BAY BEACH HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES BY THE URBAN COUNCIL. THESE THREE BEACHES ARE IDENTIFIED AN "X" IN THE FOLLOWING LIST.

BY

THE GRADES ON THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF VARIOUS BEACHES IN HONG KONG TODAY ARE LISTED BELOW:

BEACH

PREVIOUS GRADING

PRESENT GRADING

(AS AT 30.4.92)

(AS AT 14.5.92)

HONG KONG SOUTH

BIG WAVE BAY

CHUNG HOM KOK

DEEP WATER BAY

HAIRPIN

MIDDLE BAY

REPULSE BAY

SHEK O

SOUTH BAY

ST. STEPHEN'S

TURTLE COVE

STANLEY MAIN ROCKY BAY TO TEI WAN*

NNNNNANHNNNX -

3

2

31

2

1

2

2

2

1

1

1

2

1

2

2

2

NINNINXH

2

1

2

2

2

X

1

1

/TUEN MUN