Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 7) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).
   
     Eighteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 16 as Fair (Grade 2) and five as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach St Stephen's Beach
Kiu Tsui 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:

Butterfly Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Pui O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Discovery Bay Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach Castle Peak Beach
Approach Beach Ting Kau Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach  

 
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

     Compared with the grading released last week, Cafeteria New Beach and Clear Water Bay First Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Approach Beach, Big Wave Bay Beach, Castle Peak Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.

     "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.