Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 6) 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).
Seventeen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 23 as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cafeteria New Beach | Shek O Beach* |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Discovery Bay | St Stephen's Beach |
| Golden Beach* | Stanley Main Beach* |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach* | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach* | Trio Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
| Repulse Bay 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* |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* | Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Silverstrand Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach* | Tai Po Lung Mei Beach* |
| Deep Water Bay Beach* | Ting Kau Beach |
| Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
Compared with the grading released last week, Golden Beach and Tong Fuk Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Cheung Chau Tung Wan 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.