Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 30) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).
Sixteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 24 as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cafeteria New Beach | Repulse Bay Beach* |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* | Shek O Beach* |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Discovery Bay | St Stephen's Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach* | Stanley Main Beach* |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach* | Trio Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach | Kadoorie Beach |
| Approach Beach | Kwun Yam Beach |
| Big Wave Bay Beach* | Lido Beach* |
| Butterfly Beach* | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* |
| Casam Beach* | Middle Bay Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach | Pui O Beach * |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach* | Silverstrand Beach* |
| Deep Water Bay Beach* | Tai Po Lung Mei Beach* |
| Golden Beach* | Ting Kau Beach |
| Hoi Mei Wan Beach | Tong Fuk Beach |
Compared with the grading released last week, Cafeteria New Beach, Discovery Bay and Trio Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1; Anglers' Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Silver Mine Bay Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Kwun Yam Beach has 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, 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: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 18 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, from July 17.
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.