XN000022-1994-04-28 — Page 12

11

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1994

GRADING OF BEACH WATER QUALITY

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) TODAY (THURSDAY) ANNOUNCED GRADES ON THE BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY OF ALL BATHING BEACHES IN HONG KONG.

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

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE GRADING WOULD BE ANNOUNCED BI-WEEKLY DURING THE BATHING SEASON TO COINCIDE WITH THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH BEACH WATERS ARE USUALLY SAMPLED.

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

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

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

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 то 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 SAID.

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 RACH BEACH SO GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED RISK OF MINOR ILLNESS SWIMMERS IS UNDETECTABLE.

TO

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

B.

EACH

NO

MORB

* 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

B. EACH MORE

/* GRADE "4"