XN000022-1994-08-04 — Page 12

11

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1994

"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 EACH

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

* GRADE "2" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS

FAIR. THE E

COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 180 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH

GRADED, AND THE EXPECTED HEALTH RISK IS NO MORE THAN 10 CASES OF MINOR ILLNESS PER 1,000 SWIMMERS.

* GRADE "3" INDICATES THAT THE WATER QUALITY IS POOR. THE E COLI COUNT IS NO MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH 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 15 VERY POOR. THE E COLI COUNT IS MORE THAN 610 PER 100 MILLILITRES AT EACH BEACH 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 BASED ON A JUDGMENT OF WHAT DEGREE OF POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE.

IS

BY

SO

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

—

NAMELY

AT PRESENT, FOUR GAZETTED BEACHES

CASTLE ANGLERS' + PEAK, OLD CAFETERIA, AND ROCKY BAY, ARE CLOSED ΤΟ SWIMMERS. THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE BEACHES HAS BEEN MADE BY THE REGIONAL AND URBAN COUNCILS ON THE BASIS OF RECENT BEACH WATER QUALITY MONITORING DATA.

THE PUBLIC ARE ADVISED NOT TO SWIM AT THESE BEACHES. THEY ARE IDENTIFIED BY AN "X" IN THE FOLLOWING LIST.

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

/BEACH