Grading of beach water quality release
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 21) released the latest grading of water quality of 38 gazetted beaches* that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay**).
Fourteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 21 as Fair (Grade 2) and four as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach | Repulse Bay Beach |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach*** | Stanley Main Beach |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Trio Beach*** |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lower Cheung Sha Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Approach Beach | Kadoorie Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Kiu Tsui Beach*** |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Lido Beach |
| Casam Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach | Pui O Beach |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Shek O Beach*** |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach*** | Silverstrand Beach |
| Discovery Bay | St Stephen's Beach |
| Golden Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
| Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach | Butterfly Beach |
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach |
*: The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on September 17 that, due to urgent clearance work and maintenance of shark prevention nets after the Typhoon Mangkhut, all beaches in Southern, Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Islands and Sai Kung Districts are temporarily closed until further notice.
**: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
***: After the Typhoon, damages were found at Sai Kung Sewage Treatment Works and some sewage pipes near Deep Water Bay and Tai Tau Chau of Shek O, leading to the discharge of sewage. The public is advised to avoid recreational activities at beaches including Kiu Tsui Beach, Trio Beach, Hap Mun Bay Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach and Shek O Beach where water quality may be affected in the near future.
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.
A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. 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 or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.