[Photo of Stanley Main Beach in the early 1980s (above) and in 2005 (below)]

Most of the thousands of Hong Kongers who basked on Hong Kong's beaches and swam in its clear waters in 2005 were probably unaware that, just twenty years ago, many of our beaches would have been off-limits to them. The early 1980s were a time of rapid and often unbridled urban expansion, and our environment—including the seas and beaches around Hong Kong's coastline—was suffering as a result. Faced with deteriorating beach water quality and more and more of Hong Kong's beautiful beaches becoming 'no-go' areas for recreation and exercise, in 1986 the Government first placed the Environmental Protection Department in charge of its Beach Water Quality Monitoring Programme. In this, its twentieth anniversary year, we are taking the opportunity to highlight the changes and achievements of the past two decades, placing the beach water quality of 2005 in the context of twenty years of work by the EPD.

[Photo of Drainage direvision work at Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach in 1989]

Secondly, the EPD recognised that substantial improvement in water quality would require concerted, long-term actions. These would involve activities as varied as tackling the discharge of pollution in beach catchment areas, providing proper sewerage facilities to areas in the hinterland of beaches, diverting or extending sewage outfalls, controlling waste disposal from livestock and other pollution sources, and taking localised remedial action wherever necessary. Some of these actions could be undertaken by the EPD itself, while others would involve collaboration with other Government Departments or authorities.

[Photo of A typical storm drain directly discharging polluted water at a beach in the 1980s]

All was not well at Hong Kong's beaches in the mid 1980s. A major problem of the time was sewage pollution, due to the fact that Hong Kong's public sewage system was underdeveloped. Many squatters or residents of villages behind beaches had no access to the public sewer, so they simply channelled untreated sewage directly into streams or stormwater drains, which in turn emptied into the sea. Septic tank systems were not much better, while private sewage treatment facilities in residential and industrial developments were often inadequate or improperly operated. Overall, a large amount of untreated sewage was finding its way, by one means or another, into the water at or around Hong Kong's beaches. This was reflected in the water quality statistics of the time, with water assessed as 'Good' at only 11 of Hong Kong's 41 gazetted beaches in 1986.

[Photo of Clean water and clear skies greet swimmers at Shek O Beach]

By 2005, major changes had taken place that had transformed beach water quality for many of Hong Kong's beaches. Gone were most of the heavily polluting sewage outflows from dense residential developments, the waste from farms, and the contaminated stormwater drains. For some areas of Hong Kong, such as the beaches on the south of Hong Kong island, the difference has been especially dramatic, with beaches that were once heavily polluted now safe playgrounds for swimmers all year round. By comparison with the 11 'Good' beaches of 1986, in 2005 a total of 23 beaches had water quality assessed as 'Good'.

[Photo of At the beach: fun and exercise for all ages]

Although there remains work to be done in improving our beach water quality, much has been achieved over the past twenty years. The majority of Hong Kong's beaches in 2005 offered visitors safe, enjoyable environments for swimming, playing, or just lying on the sand. The confidence the public has in our beaches was reflected in the number of visitors, with records showing that over a million visits a month were made to beaches during the 2005 bathing season.

[Photo of Silverstrand Beach opens year-round to swimmers]

In fact, the main problem faced by keen beachgoers in 2005 was one outside the control of the EPD—rain! The summer of 2005 was exceptionally wet, with rainfall levels 53% higher than the average rainfall for this period and almost double that of 2004. Despite this exceptional rainfall across the summer however, the year showed up the strengths of Hong Kong's beaches well. Most beaches remained open, and water quality was by and large good. Improvements in water quality at Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District showed the indisputable benefits of public sewerage systems. New improvements to safety were implemented: for example, all gazetted beaches now have shark nets installed, after nets were added at Cafeteria Old Beach and Lower Cheung Sha Beach midway through the swimming season in 2005. Best of all, 2005 saw the re-opening of a beach that had been closed for 24 years, Castle Peak Beach in Tuen Mun District. This beach, discussed in detail later in this report, is a splendid example of what can result from concerted efforts in pollution control, water monitoring, and a commitment to positive change in the environment.

Most of the beaches in Tsuen Wan District remained problematic and stayed closed in 2005 while steps continue to be taken to improve their water quality and prepare them for re-opening in the future. These include local sewerage schemes to ensure sewage from nearby properties can be intercepted and removed for treatment rather than polluting the nearby beaches. They also include a plan to disinfect the very large discharge from Stonecutters Island, subject to the public's willingness to meet the operating costs through increased sewage charges. Nevertheless the EPD is optimistic that provided the public is willing to pay its share of the costs of sewage treatment, further work over the next few years will see all Hong Kong's gazetted beaches once again open for swimming.

[Photo of Tropical paradise? Lower Cheung Sha Beach]