The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 26) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2). 
  
     Twenty-five beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

Approach Beach	Lido Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach	Lo So Shing Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Repulse Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*	South Bay Beach
Discovery Bay	St. Stephen's Beach
Golden Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Hoi Mei Wan Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Trio Beach*
Kiu Tsui Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Kwun Yam Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach*	Pui O Beach*
Cafeteria Old Beach	Shek O Beach*
Casam Beach*	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Ting Kau Beach*
Kadoorie Beach*	Turtle Cove Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach*

 
Grade 3 beach is:

Castle Peak Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Approach Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Lido Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. 
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected 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 EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
 
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 21 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from August 6.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Friday, August 26, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:00

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