The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 26) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.

     Nineteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 18 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:
 

Casam Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Lido Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lo So Shing Beach

                 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach	Golden Beach
Approach Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Stanley Main Beach
Discovery Bay	Ting Kau Beach

Grade 3 beach is:

Butterfly Beach       

     Compared with the grading released last week, Castle Peak Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Discovery Bay, Golden Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Butterfly 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," 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.

     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.

     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.

Ends/Friday, May 26, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:00

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