• a comprehensive programme to monitor the beach water quality;
• providing up-to-date information on beach water quality to the public;
• implementing the sewerage master plans with the Drainage Services Department (DSD) to abate pollution in the beach hinterland;and
• enforcing relevant environmental legislation to safeguard beach water quality in meeting the Water Quality Objective (WQO).
  

The beach monitoring programme is constantly under review with the aim to providing comprehensive and timely information on beach water quality to the public. It had been revised several times since its implementation in 1986. The current programme had been enhanced in order to better safeguard the health of bathers. The enhancement includes more regular sampling on a random basis including the weekends, review of the sampling locations to ensure they are representative, adoption of rapid E. coli analytical method, etc.

Water Quality Objective

In accordance with the recommendations and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), local epidemiological studies had been carried out in the late 1980s and the health risk related WQO for bathing water was established in 1992. This WQO sets out the target for the management of beach water quality in order to safeguard the health of bathers.

Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world that has beach rating systems. The introduction of the annual ranking and beach grading systems in 1987 had facilitated the interpretation of beach water quality information by the public. The annual ranking and beach grading systems had been revised several times in order to safeguard public health. The current systems are health risks related and the beach grading could now provide more Latest Information on beach water quality.

Beach Water Quality Information

The beach grading was originally provided to the public in the form of press release and on a bi-weekly basis when it was introduced in 1987. With the enhanced monitoring programme and advance in technology, the beach grading and related information are now available from the weekly press release, notice board at the beach office, beach hotline and the Internet. Bathers could obtain timely information on beach water quality to decide on whether they should swim at the beaches.

Various sewage pollution abatement measures had been implemented by the joint efforts of the EPD and DSD in the hinterland of most beaches in the last 15 years in order to safeguard their water quality. These measures included the implementation of Sewerage Master Plans (SMPs), provision of proper sewerage and interceptors, diversion of storm drains, extension of submarine outfalls, etc. The implementation of these measures had brought about significant improvement of beach water quality.

The implementation of the Water Pollution Control Ordinance and the Waste Disposal (Livestock Waste) Regulation in the late 1980s had enabled the EPD to take enforcement actions against polluted discharges in the beach hinterland. The EPD had also launched regular surveillance and environmental awareness programmes to ensure the sewage treatment facilities in the beach hinterland were properly operated and maintained.

Beach Water Quality Improvement

In 2000, the water quality of 35 out of 41 gazetted beaches (85%) had complied with the WQO and no beach had 'Very Poor' water quality (Figure 1.1). This compliance rate, which was the highest over the past 15 years, had been maintained since 1999, indicating that the general water quality of all beaches had improved. The beaches with the greatest improvement of water quality in the last 15 years were the Repulse Bay, Middle Bay, Silvermine Bay, Castle Peak, Cafeteria Old and Rocky Bay Beaches. These beaches were at one time either closed or at the verge of closure due to their 'Poor' or 'Very Poor' water quality.

Figure 1.1	Distribution of annual ranks for gazetted beaches for the past 15 years

At present, only the Tsuen Wan beaches which do not have sewerage in their hinterland could not meet the WQO. However, through the concerted efforts of enforcement by the EPD, provision of sewerage by DSD in the beach hinterland and completion of the Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme, the water quality of the Tsuen Wan beaches will gradually improve. It is envisaged that all gazetted beaches in Hong Kong will be able to meet the WQO in the longer term.