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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 3) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Fifteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 22 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and two were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
* Discovery Bay Silverstrand Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach St Stephen's Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Trio Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Middle Bay Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Shek O Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Golden Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Casam Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Stanley Main Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Ting Kau Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach Beach Castle Peak 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. The 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 and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Middle Bay Beach, Shek O Beach and South Bay Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Casam Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Clear Water Bay Second Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Castle Peak Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
Noting that a recent oil spill had affected Lo So Shing Beach in Islands District, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.
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, July 3, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:04
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