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Press
Release
Report
on Beach Water Quality 1986-2000 published
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) today (February 22) published
a special report on the beach water quality in Hong Kong to
mark the 15th anniversary of the beach monitoring programme.
Entitled
"Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 1986-2000", the colourful
publication reviews the changes in beach water quality over
the past 15 years, gives details on the development of the
beach monitoring programme, and highlights the improvement
measures implemented through the concerted efforts of the
EPD and the Drainage Services Department to safeguard the
beach water quality.
A spokesman
for the EPD said: "In 2000, 21 gazetted beaches had 'Good'
water quality and none had the worst rank of 'Very Poor' water
quality, compared with only nine beaches in the 'Good' rank
and three beaches in the 'Very Poor' rank in 1986."
Of the
41 gazetted beaches,35 beaches met the Water Quality Objective
in 2000.
"Compared
with 15 years ago, improvement in the beach water quality
has been observed at a number of beaches including Repulse
Bay, Middle Bay and Silvermine Bay which were at one time
either closed or on the verge of closure due to their 'Poor'
and 'Very Poor' water quality.
"All
these three beaches now meet the Water Quality Objective for
bathing water," the spokesman noted.
The bilingual
report and the CD-ROM version of the report are on sale at
$56 and $25 respectively at the Government Publications Centre,
Ground Floor, Lower Block, Queensway Government Offices, 66
Queensway, Hong Kong.
It is
also available through the EPD's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd/.
End/Thursday,
February 22, 2001
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