XN000022-1992-06-11 — Page 16

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1992

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 LESS 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 ΤΟ BE MORE POLLUTED THAN THE GRADES SUGGEST DURING AND AFTER HEAVY RAIN. BATHERS SHOULD AVOID SUCH BEACHES FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS AFTER A STORM, LONGER IF THE WEATHER REMAINS OVERCAST OR LESS IF THERE IS 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

E.

*

COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 24 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED RISK OF MINOR ILLNESS ΤΟ 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.

THE E.

GRADE "3" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR, COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT BEACH 90 GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

GRADE "4" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY THE

EACH MORK

IS VERY POOR. E. COLI COUNT IS MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH 90 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 BASED ON A JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE.

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GRADE OCCURRED BATHING SEASON

NORMALLY, THE CLOSURE OF A BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL OR REGIONAL COUNCIL IF A "4" REPEATEDLY, SO THAT THE AVERAGE HEALTH RISK OVER THE EXCEEDED 15 CASES PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

WOULD ONLY BE

SIMILARLY, THE REOPENING OF A CLOSED BEACH CONSIDERED IF A "3" GRADE 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.

то

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.

/IN ADDITION