Grading of beach water quality released - Government World Magazine

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 22) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).

     Thirty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and nine as Fair (Grade 2).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach	Lo So Shing Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Pui O Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay 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	South Bay Beach
Golden Beach*	St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Tong Fuk Beach
Kadoorie Beach	Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach	Lido Beach*
Butterfly Beach*	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Casam Beach*	Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak Beach

     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

Note 1: The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on May 19 that 15 gazetted beaches (marked with an asterisk * above) would be reopened on May 23. All other beaches will remain temporarily closed until further notice.

Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.