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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 17) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 18 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach South Bay Beach
* Discovery Bay St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach Pui O Beach
Castle Peak Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach Ting Kau Beach
Grade 4 beach is:
Big Wave Bay 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, Clear Water Bay Second Beach and Lower Cheung Sha Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Silver Mine Bay Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Middle Bay Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Big Wave Bay Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 4.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches. The very poor water quality of Big Wave Bay Beach is largely due to the recent heavy rainfall," the EPD spokesman said.
Under the 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 17, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:03
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