Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 6) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).   
   
     Fourteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2), nine as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:     
   

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Discovery Bay South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Cafeteria New Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Middle Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Silverstrand Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Golden Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kadoorie Beach  

 
Grade 3 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach Lido Beach
Approach Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Casam Beach Ting Kau Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach  

Grade 4 beach is:
 

Big Wave Bay Beach  

* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Lower Cheung Sha Beach has been upgraded from Grade 4 to Grade 2 and Kiu Tsui Beach and Trio Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Pui O Beach, Shek O Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Ting Kau Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3; and Big Wave Bay Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 4.
 
     "The deterioration of water quality at Big Wave Bay Beach was due to the frequent heavy rain since late May, while the changes in other beaches 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 website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.