Press Release

June 30, 2006
  • Water & Soil

2006 Bathing Beaches Water Quality Survey Results

The Ministry of the Environment announced that 758 bathing beaches in Japan have maintained the water quality required for bathing. The results come from the water quality survey for bathing beaches conducted between the beginning of April and the beginning of June 2006 by prefectural governments and municipal governments that were delegated the authority to do so under the Water Pollution Control Law.

The 758 bathing beaches surveyed include those by the sea with more than 10,000 visitors and those by lakes, reservoirs, and rivers with more than 5000 visitors in 2005. The items surveyed were colon bacillus count, oil slicks, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and transparency. Hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and Escherichia coliform bacillus "O-157" were also monitored as reference items.


<Summary of the Survey Result>

The water quality of 758 beaches all over Japan was categorized according to the water quality criterion for bathing beaches. It was categorized and rated AA, A or B. The water quality of 652 bathing beaches, or 86% of the total, was found to be in excellent condition and was rated AA or A. This showed some improvement from the previous year's level (611 beaches or 82% of the total) as shown in Table 1.

For Japanese

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