The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).
Thirty-two beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), three as Fair (Grade 2) and four as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Lo So Shing Beach |
| Butterfly Beach* | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Pui O Beach* |
| Castle Peak Beach | Repulse Bay Beach* |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach | Shek O Beach* |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach* | Silverstrand Beach* |
| Deep Water Bay Beach* | South Bay Beach |
| Discovery Bay | St. Stephen's Beach |
| Golden Beach* | Stanley Main Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach* | Tai Po Lung Mei Beach* |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach* | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Kadoorie Beach | Trio Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
| Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Approach Beach | Lido Beach* |
| Casam Beach* |
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* |
Compared with the grading released last week, Discovery Bay has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Approach Beach and Casam Beach have been changed 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, 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.
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 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 15 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 5.
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
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