XN000022-1992-09-03 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1992

GRADE "3" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR. THE E. COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITERS AT EACH BEACH

GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO MORE THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

+

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

THE DECISION 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 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 WAS 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.

THEY ARE POLLUTED BY

FAECAL WASTES AND FAIL TO ACHIEVE THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO

CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS. 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 LISTED BELOW:

BEACH

PREVIOUS GRADING

PRESENT GRADING

(AS AT 20.8.92)

(AS AT 3.9.92)

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*

N-NINN ON THE PHO-AX

2

2

1

1

2

1

1

1

2

1

2

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

X

X

1

1

/TUEN MUN