Grading of beach water quality released
***************************************
Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Approach Beach | Repulse Bay Beach* |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* | Shek O Beach* |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | Silverstrand Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | South Bay Beach* |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach* | St Stephen's Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach* | Stanley Main Beach* |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach* | Tai Po Lung Mei Beach* |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach* | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Trio Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
| Pui O Beach* |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Big Wave Bay Beach* | Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Butterfly Beach* | Kadoorie Beach* |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Lido Beach* |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Casam Beach* | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* |
| Discovery Bay | Middle Bay Beach |
| Golden Beach* | Ting Kau Beach* |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach* | Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
| Castle Peak Beach |
Compared with the grading released last week, Approach Beach and Lo So Shing Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Big Wave Bay Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Silver Mine Bay Beach from Grade 2 to 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
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.
In line with the vision to develop Hong Kong into a smart city, the EPD launched the Beach Water Quality Forecast System on August 15 to provide daily water quality forecasts for all gazetted beaches in Hong Kong that are open for swimming to supplement the existing beach water quality monitoring programme and further enhance services to the public (see Note 3). From now on, members of the public can obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information of all beaches through the Beach Water Quality Forecast mobile application (available for download from: www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQApp) or the dedicated beach water quality forecast page (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast) on the EPD's beach thematic website.
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 1.
Note 2: This refers to the non-gazetted beach in Discovery Bay which has no lifeguard service.
Note 3: The EPD launched the Beach Water Quality Forecast System on August 15, 2023. For the press release, please visit www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202308/15/P2023081400345.htm.
Ends/Friday, August 25, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00
Issued at HKT 16:00
NNNN