***************************************
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 8) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 beaches.
Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and fourteen were rated as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay 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
Deep Water Bay Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Discovery Bay* Stanley Main Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Lido Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Approach Beach Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach Kiu Tsui Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Pui O Beach
Casam Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Golden Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Hoi Mei Wan 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. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's website (www.beachwq.gov.hk or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) on Beach Water Quality or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Silver Mine Bay Beach has been upgraded from 3 to 2. Casam Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to 2.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
Noting that a recent oil spill had affected Lo So Shing Beach in Islands District, the spokesman reminded the public to check the latest updates from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.
Under our 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, July 8, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:01
NNNN