Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 26) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 beaches.

     Twenty-eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and nine were rated as Fair (Grade 2).

Grade 1 beaches are:
 
Big Wave Bay Beach              Lo So Shing Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach      Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach             Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach  
Clear Water Bay First Beach     Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach    Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach            Shek O Beach  
Discovery Bay*                  Silverstrand Beach  
Golden Beach                    South Bay Beach  
Hap Mun Bay Beach               St. Stephen's Beach  
Hoi Mei Wan Beach               Stanley Main 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

Grade 2 beaches are:
 
Approach Beach                  Castle Peak Beach  
Butterfly Beach                 Kadoorie Beach  
Cafeteria New Beach             Pui O Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach             Silver Mine Bay Beach
Casam 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 on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to 1.

     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.

     Noting that red tides have recently affected a number of beaches at various districts, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest updates from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.

     People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.

     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.

     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, August 26, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:02

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