The EPD works hard to make sure that the Hong Kong public is aware of its activities and knows how to get access to information whenever they need it. In the past year, the work of the Beach Water Quality Monitoring Programme has been profiled through wider EPD publications and has been featured in the media. On a smaller scale, information about the programme was flashed on a continuous LCD display at the reception centre of the EPD’s office.

The EPD continues to try and make information as easily available to the public as possible, and in particular to make sure that crucial beach grading figures are broadcast fast and regularly. Its water quality hotline at 2511- 6666 is kept updated with the latest information, while its website at http://www.epd.gov.hk contains not only the latest grading figures but also basic information about every beach covered by the monitoring programme, including where they are located and the range of facilities available there.

[Image of a sample page from the EPD websites]

The EPD distributes its water quality information weekly in press releases throughout the year, and these details are printed in some Hong Kong newspapers. The beach management offices of all Hong Kong’s gazetted beaches are also supplied with up-to-date water quality information for display on noticeboards near the public facilities.

At year end, the EPD publishes this Annual Report on Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong in CD-ROM format, and the report is also downloadable from the EPD website.

[Image of a typical beach noticeboard with water quality information]