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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 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 TO 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, THE SPOKESMAN SAIÐ.

་་

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 MILLILITERS AT EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED RISK OF MINOR ILLNESS SWIMMERS IS UNDETECTABLE.

ΤΟ

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

EACH

NO

MORE

THE

E.

EACH

* GRADE "3" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR.

COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITERS AT BEACH SO 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 EACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS MORE THAN 15 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

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

THE

BY

GRADE OCCURRED BATHING SEASON

NORMALLY, THE CLOSURE OF A BEACH WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED 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.

THEY ARE POLLUTED BY FAECAL CONSISTENTLY THE HONG KONG STANDARDS. SWIM IN THE WATER AT THESE TWO BEACHES.

WASTES AND FAIL TO ACHIEVE THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT ΤΟ

/IN ADDITION

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