The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 28) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.

     Twenty-eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 11 as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:
 

Cafeteria New Beach	Lo So Shing Beach
Casam Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Pui O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
* Discovery Bay	Shek O Beach
Golden Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	South Bay Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach	St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	Stanley Main Beach
Kadoorie 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:
 

Anglers' Beach	Clear Water Bay First Beach
Approach Beach	Clear Water Bay Second Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak 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. 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.

     Compared with the grading released last week, Deep Water Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.

     "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.

     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, October 28, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:00

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