Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 11) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).

     Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 16 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:             

Approach Beach Repulse Bay Beach*
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* Shek O Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach Silverstrand Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach* South Bay Beach*
Discovery Bay St Stephen's Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Stanley Main Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach* Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach* Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Pui O Beach*  

 Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach* Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach* Kadoorie Beach*
Butterfly Beach* Lido Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Casam Beach* Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach* Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Golden Beach* Ting Kau Beach*

Grade 3 beach is: 

Castle Peak Beach     

     Compared with the grading released last week, Approach Beach and Deep Water Bay Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Castle Peak Beach has 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 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 1.

Note 2: This refers to the non-gazetted beach in Discovery Bay which has no lifeguard service.