XN000022-1992-08-06 — Page 8

7

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1992

QUALITY

GRADE "4" INDICATES THAT THE WATER

IS VERY POOR. THE E. COLI COUNT IS MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT BACH BBACH 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 19 BASED ON A JUDGEMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE.

BY

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

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 BASED ON

THE WATER QUALITY DURING PAST SEASONS.

I

THEY ARK POLLUTED BY FABCAL WASTES AND FAIL TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS. THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM AT THESE TWO BEACHES.

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

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

BEACH

HONG KONG SOUTH

PREVIOUS GRADING

PRESENT GRADING

(AS AT 23.7.92) (AS AT 6.8.92)

BIG WAVE BAY

3

CHUNG HOM KOK

2

1

DEEP WATER BAY

2

2

HAIRPIN

2

2

MIDDLE BAY

2

2

REPULSE BAY

1

1

ЗНЕК О

2

2

SOUTH BAY

1

1

ST STEPHEN'S

2

2

/TURTLE COVE