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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 27) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Sixteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 21 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Repulse Bay Beach
* Discovery Bay Shek O 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 Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Kadoorie Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Lido Beach
Butterfly Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Pui O Beach
Casam Beach Silverstrand Beach
Castle Peak Beach Stanley Main Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Ting Kau Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Trio Beach
Golden Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach 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, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Discovery Bay, Kwun Yam Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Middle Bay Beach and Trio Beach have 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," 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, May 27, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:02
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