XN000022-1992-08-06 — Page 7

- 9

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1992

GRADING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY

* * * * * *

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ANNOUNCED GRADES ON THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF ALL BEACHES IN HONG KONG,

DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY}

BATHING

THE GRADING SYSTEM SERVES TO INFORM SWIMMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE STATE OF BACTERIOLOGICAL POLLUTION AT VARIOUS BEACHES.

WILL BE

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE GRADING ANNOUNCED BIWEEKLY DURING THE BATHING SEASON TO COINCIDE WITH THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH BEACH WATERS ARE USUALLY SAMPLED.

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

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

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

THE GRADING OF SOME BEACHES MAY VARY DURING 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.

TO BE

"BEACHES WITH HIGHLY DEVELOPED HINTERLANDS ARE LIKELY 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,

TP THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE GRADES ON BEACH WATER QUALITY ARE:

THE E.

* GRADE "1" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS GOOD.

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

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

#

ΤΟ

THE

3.

EACH MORE

AT

NO

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

THE E.

BACH MORK

* GRADE