Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 25) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay*).   
   
     Thirty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 8 as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are: 
        

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

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach Shek O Beach
Butterfly Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Ting Kau Beach

 
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Cafeteria New Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1.
      
     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, 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.