Silver Mine Bay Beach
- A scenic beach on Lantau Island was closed in 1987 to 1989 due to unacceptable water quality.
- Annual geometric mean E. coli level was 2400 count/100 mL in 1987.
Major pollution sources:
- Livestock farms in Mui Wo
- Unsewered villages
A close-up shot of Silver Mine Bay Beach
Drainage construction works at Chung Hau
Government's mitigation measures:
- Introduced Livestock Waste Control Scheme in Mui Wo in 1998 to stop illegal discharge from livestock farms.
- Commissioning of Mui Wo Sewage Treatment Works and implementing the wastewater control under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance in 1989.
Improvement observed:
- Silver Mine Bay Beach started to comply with the Water Quality Objective in 1998.
- Generally maintained at “Fair” or above annual ranking since 1998.
At the beach: fun and exercise for families
Repulse Bay Beach
In the late 1980s, the water quality of the beach was on the verge of closure, with annual geometric means of E. coli counts of over 400 count/100 mL, ranked as “Poor”.
Remedial measures were promptly taken by the Government:
- Enforcing the pollution control legislation.
- Implementing the Hong Kong Island South Sewerage Master Plan to divert sewage and polluted storm flow away from the beach.
- Installing Dry Weather Flow (DWF) interceptors to intercept flow from polluted storm water drains.
A noticeable drain directing polluted flow into the beach area was an eyesore
Improvement work to divert away polluted storm flow and improve beach environment
Now a popular beach for locals and tourists alike.
Castle Peak Beach
Improvement of beach water quality enabling the re-opening of Castle Peak Beach
Improvement programmes have successfully achieved clean water and made the beach safe for the public to swim.
- Castle Peak Beach has been reopened to swimmers since 2005 and has quickly become a popular destination for the public.
- The water quality of Castle Peak Beach continues to improve after its re-opening in 2005 as shown in its weekly gradings.
Clean water and clear sky greet swimmers at Castle Peak Beach
Castle Peak Beach
Castle Peak Beach was closed in 1981 due to poor water quality.
Southern District
Marked improvement in water quality of beaches in Southern District
Back in the 1980s, many of the 12 gazetted beaches in Southern District were not in good shape. Middle Bay and Repulse Bay Beaches could not meet the water quality objective (WQO) for bathing beaches and were on the verge of closing.
Government's actions:
- implemented pollution control legislation
- diverted polluting stormwater channels away from beaches
- built new sewage treatment facilities
- implemented public sewer connection programme in beach hinterlands
A bird's eye view of Repulse Bay Beach
The improved Repulse Bay offers respite from busy city life
- Now all Southern District beaches meet the bathing water quality objective. These beaches provide good water quality and scenic environment for the public to enjoy.
Paradise for kids
