The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
      
     Twenty-two beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2), and three as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

Butterfly Beach*	Middle Bay Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach*	Pui O Beach*
Cafeteria Old Beach	Repulse Bay Beach*
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Shek O Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	South Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach*	St Stephen's Beach*
Golden Beach*	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Trio Beach*
Kiu Tsui Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Approach Beach	Kadoorie Beach*
Big Wave Bay Beach*	Kwun Yam Beach
Casam Beach*	Lido Beach*
Castle Peak Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Stanley Main Beach
Discovery Bay	Ting Kau Beach*
Hoi Mei Wan Beach

Grade 3 beach are:

Anglers' Beach*	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Kwun Yam Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Silver Mine Bay Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 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 tropical cyclone 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 for 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 26 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from September 28. Stanley Main Beach is temporarily closed for clearance and urgent repair works. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Special Announcement (https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/beach/index.html).
 
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, October 13, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00

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