Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 28) 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**).
Seventeen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 16 as Fair (Grade 2) and six as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach | Repulse Bay Beach |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach*** | St Stephen's Beach |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach | Stanley Main 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 |
| Middle Bay Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Butterfly Beach | Golden Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Kadoorie Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Pui O Beach |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach | Shek O Beach*** |
| Deep Water Bay Beach*** | Silver Mine Bay Beach |
| Discovery Bay | Silverstrand Beach |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach | Casam Beach |
| Approach Beach | Lido Beach |
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
* The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced on September 17 that, due to urgent clearance work and maintenance of shark prevention nets after the Typhoon Mangkhut, all beaches in Southern, Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Islands and Sai Kung Districts are temporarily closed until further notice.
** Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
*** After the typhoon, damage was found at Sai Kung Sewage Treatment Works and some sewage pipes near Deep Water Bay and Tai Tau Chau at Shek O, leading to the discharge of sewage. The public are advised to avoid recreational activities at beaches including Kiu Tsui Beach, Trio Beach, Hap Mun Bay Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach and Shek O Beach where water quality may be affected in the near future.
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.
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.