Grading of beach water quality released

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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 27) 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*).   
   
     Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

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

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach Golden Beach
Approach Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach Pui O Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Shek O Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Casam Beach Ting Kau Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach  

 
Grade 3 beach is:

Castle Peak Beach  

 
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Lido Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Shek O 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, including 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, an 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.

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