Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 11) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay*).
Twenty-eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 11 as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Lido Beach |
| Casam Beach | Lo So Shing Beach |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Pui O Beach |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach | Repulse Bay 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 |
| Kadoorie Beach | Trio Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach | Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Approach Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach |
| Butterfly Beach | Shek O Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach |
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach, Casam Beach, Golden Beach and Kadoorie Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Shek O Beach have 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, 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 department's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.