Grading of beach water quality released

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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 25) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Twenty-five beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 11 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:       

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach                      Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach                            Shek O Beach
Discovery Bay                        Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Stanley Main Beach
Kadoorie Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach  

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach Casam Beach
Approach Beach Castle Peak Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach                      Clear Water Bay First Beach
Butterfly Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach  

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Lido Beach Ting Kau Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Golden Beach, Kadoorie Beach, Pui O Beach, Shek O Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Casam Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2.
      
     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.

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