Grading of beach water quality released

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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 17) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 18 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

Cafeteria New Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach Kadoorie Beach
Approach Beach Lido Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Pui O Beach
Casam Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Discovery Bay Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Ting Kau Beach

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Castle Peak Beach  

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Golden Beach, Pui O Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2. 
      
     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

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