Gazetted beaches meet Water Quality Objectives for third consecutive year (with photos)
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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 2) published a 2012 report on beach water quality indicating that water quality at all of Hong Kong's gazetted beaches has met the standards required for bathing for three consecutive years since 2010.
In 2012, 23 (or 56 per cent) of the 41 gazetted beaches were ranked as "Good" and the remaining 18 (or 44 per cent) as "Fair". As in 2011, all beaches were rated as "Good" or "Fair", maintaining full compliance with the Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) for bathing waters.
"The percentage of beaches complying with the WQOs increased steadily from 63 per cent in 1997 to 93 per cent in 2009 and achieved 100 per cent (all 41 beaches) in 2010, and the improvement has been sustained since then," a spokesman for the EPD said.
"These improvements are the result of the enforcement of environmental laws, as well as the implementation of sewerage infrastructure projects, including the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme Stage 1, the Advance Disinfection Facilities at the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works and the extension of the sewerage network to the beach hinterland.
"Through the continuous efforts of the Government to implement pollution abatement measures over the past years, all the gazetted beaches have now achieved the required standard for bathing waters for the third consecutive year since 2010. The EPD will maintain close monitoring of all beaches to ascertain that this achievement can be sustained and that beach water quality can continue to meet the WQOs," the spokesman said.
The 2012 beach water quality report can be found at EPD's websites (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk).
For more information:
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 2) published a 2012 report on beach water quality indicating that water quality at all of Hong Kong's gazetted beaches has met the standards required for bathing for three consecutive years since 2010.In 2012, 23 (or 56 per cent) of the 41 gazetted beaches were ranked as "Good" and the remaining 18 (or 44 per cent) as "Fair". As in 2011, all beaches were rated as "Good" or "Fair", maintaining full compliance with the Water Quality Objectives (WQOs) for bathing waters.
"The percentage of beaches complying with the WQOs increased steadily from 63 per cent in 1997 to 93 per cent in 2009 and achieved 100 per cent (all 41 beaches) in 2010, and the improvement has been sustained since then," a spokesman for the EPD said.
"These improvements are the result of the enforcement of environmental laws, as well as the implementation of sewerage infrastructure projects, including the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme Stage 1, the Advance Disinfection Facilities at the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works and the extension of the sewerage network to the beach hinterland.
"Through the continuous efforts of the Government to implement pollution abatement measures over the past years, all the gazetted beaches have now achieved the required standard for bathing waters for the third consecutive year since 2010. The EPD will maintain close monitoring of all beaches to ascertain that this achievement can be sustained and that beach water quality can continue to meet the WQOs," the spokesman said.
The 2012 beach water quality report can be found at EPD's websites (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:01
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Issued at HKT 12:01
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