The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced just before 10pm last night that all 14 beaches in the Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan area have been temporarily closed “for the sake of public health”. The entire area may have been contaminated by sewage due to a problem at the Pillar Point Sewage Treatment Works.
For the love of God, please do not ignore the red tape and the notices telling you not to swim at these beaches unless you want to be slathered in the city’s collective faecal matter. The beaches will be re-opened when the bacterial levels of the water fall to safe levels.
The affected beaches are:
– Tuen Mun District: Butterfly Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Kadoorie Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, and Golden Beach
– Tsuen Wan District: Anglers’ Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Casam Beach, Lido Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Approach Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
According to Apple Daily, the sewage treatment plant pumps out treated waste into the waters towards the northwest of Hong Kong via an underwater pipeline.
This news is surely going to piss off environmental groups (and any sane Hongkonger). The local NGO Ocean Recovery Alliance launched a petition only a little over two weeks ago urging the government to upgrade the sewage treatment system in Hong Kong.
In 1997, contractors who were dredging near the Pillar Point Sewage Treatment Works damaged one of the drainage pipes, causing serious pollution at five nearby beaches.
Related stories:
Ocean NGO launches petition to urge government to complete sewage upgrades as planned
Shark Week For Real: Two Lamma Island beaches close after swimmer spots baby shark
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Screenshot: Apple Daily
