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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 12) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.
Fourteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 20 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and five were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Pui O Beach
Castle Peak Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Shek O Beach
* Discovery Bay Silver Mine Bay Beach
Golden Beach South Bay Beach
Kadoorie Beach Stanley Main Beach
Lido Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Ting Kau Beach
Casam Beach
The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. All gazetted beaches are equipped with shark nets.
A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. 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 or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Clear Water Bay First Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1; Anglers' Beach and Lido Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2; and Approach Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Stanley Main 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.
"For Approach Beach, temporary deterioration of water quality was observed. The latest samples obtained show that the water quality of the beach has improved. Our investigation did not find any specific pollution sources, and we will continue to monitor the beach regularly."
Under our 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.
Grade 4 is assigned to beaches whose last E coli reading exceeded a threshold figure, irrespective of the geometric mean. Swimmers are advised to avoid these beaches until the water quality improves.
People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.
The EPD spokesman warned that many beaches were likely to be more polluted than their grades suggested during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
Ends/Friday, June 12, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:02
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