***************************************
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 6) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Thirteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 23 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lo So Shing Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Kadoorie Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kiu Tsui Beach
Butterfly Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach Pui O Beach
Castle Peak Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Stanley Main Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Ting Kau Beach
* Discovery Bay Trio Beach
Golden Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach Beach Silverstrand Beach
Silver Mine 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, Butterfly Beach, Castle Peak Beach and Ting Kau Beach have been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Silverstrand Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," the EPD spokesman said.
Noting that suspected red tides have recently affected a number of beaches in Sai Kung District and Southern District, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest updates from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.
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, May 6, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:02
NNNN