Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2004 | 繁體中文 | 簡體中文 |

| Introduction | The monitoring programme | Scientific procedures | Beach ranking & grading | Dealing with emergencies | Informing the public | The 2004 survey | Comparing beach rankings | Supplementary Material |


 
Dealing with emergencies
 
Beach Pollution Response Plan

The Beach Water Quality Monitoring Programme is closely integrated with a wider network of government bodies as part of a comprehensive Beach Pollution Response Plan. The Plan has been developed to enable the government to focus all relevant resources on pollution incidents, and respond cohesively, comprehensively and rapidly to any such incidents.

 
Catchment plans and GIS technology

As part of the Beach Pollution Response Plan, the EPD now utilizes sophisticated IT tools that make tracking down and eliminating pollution faster and easier than ever before. For example, by utilizing its Geographical Information System (GIS) resource the EPD can now draw up accurate, easily updateable plans of catchment areas with potential pollution hazards marked as accurately as possible. Each beach catchment plan comes with detailed information about every sewage treatment facility in the vicinity, including the treatment method of each facility and its daily discharge rate. If the EPD’s monitoring team notice unexpectedly high levels of E. coli at a beach, the EPD can quickly call up the relevant beach catchment plan, locate all the potential sources of pollution, and carry out a rapid inspection of each one to determine the source of the problem.

[Image of a sample of a beach catchment plan]

 
Rainfall warning advisory notices
Some beaches in Hong Kong are particularly affected by periods of prolonged heavy rain, when pollutants are flushed off the land and into beach areas, and when septic tanks may overflow. The EPD has identified 21 such beaches that may pose risks after rainfall, and has installed prominent signs advising swimmers to stay out of the water for up to three days after heavy downpours.
 
Beaches with rainfall warning notices on display
District Beach
Southern District Big Wave Bay, Hairpin, Shek O, Stanley Main, Turtle Cove
Sai Kung District Clear Water Bay First, Clear Water Bay Second, Kiu Tsui, Silverstrand, Trio
Tuen Mun District Butterfly, Cafeteria New, Cafeteria Old, Golden Beach, Kadoorie
Tsuen Wan District Ma Wan Tung Wan
Outlying Islands Kwun Yam, Lower Cheung Sha, Pui O, Silver Mine Bay, Tong Fuk



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