Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 1) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
   
     Twenty-six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 10 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

Big Wave Bay Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Middle Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach                       Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach                             Silverstrand Beach
Discovery Bay                         South Bay Beach
Golden Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Stanley Main 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

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

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

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Lido Beach Ting Kau Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Kadoorie Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
 
     "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 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.