The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 25) 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).
Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 17 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cafeteria New Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Repulse Bay Beach* |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* | Shek O Beach* |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach* | St. Stephen's Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach* | Tai Po Lung Mei 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 |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach* | Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Approach Beach | Kadoorie Beach* |
| Big Wave Bay Beach* | Kwun Yam Beach |
| Butterfly Beach* | Lido Beach* |
| Casam Beach* | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach | Pui O Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
| Discovery Bay | Stanley Main Beach* |
| Golden Beach* |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* | Ting Kau Beach* |
| Silverstrand Beach* | |
Compared with the grading released last week, Silver Mine Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Golden Beach, Kwun Yam Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, 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, 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 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 1.
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
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