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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 5) released the latest grading of water quality at 36 beaches.
Twenty-seven beaches were rated as good (grade 1) and nine were rated as fair (grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Butterfly Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Castle Peak Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silverstrand Beach
Discovery Bay* South Bay Beach
Golden Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kadoorie Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Approach Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hoi Mei Wan 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.
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.
Meanwhile, the department has published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2012". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2012 and is accessible at a dedicated website at www.beachwq.gov.hk and EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, April 5, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:01
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