Sham Shui Po Park Swimming Pool is operating properly and is safe to swim in, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department says, with water quality meeting hygiene standards.

The department said today its contractor and the Department of Health separately conducted tests comprising water samples collected from May 12 to 17. Nine samples had bacterial counts exceeding prescribed standards but no E.coli or cholera was found. The Electrical & Mechanical Services Department has also confirmed the filtration and sterilisation system is working normally.

Swimming pool staff have superchlorinated the water every day since May 14. All samples collected since May 16 have been up to standard.

Regarding one sample taken by the contractor which showed the presence of cholera, the department said another collected separately on the same day tested negative. The Department of Health confirmed that cholera bacteria found by the contractor was not of the epidemic strains of O1 or O139 which cause cholera and so public health was not affected. No further cholera bacteria have been found.

Guidelines and procedures have been issued to closely monitor water quality, while monthly checks of filtration and sterilisation systems will be conducted.