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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