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The Environmental Protection Department today (September 2) released the latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public, rating 14 as Good (Grade 1), 18 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. (S) indicates a beach that is equipped with a shark net.
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach (S) Pui O Beach (S)
Chung Hom Kok Beach (S) Repulse Bay Beach (S)
Discovery Bay* South Bay Beach (S)
Hap Mun Bay Beach (S) St. Stephen's Beach (S)
Hung Shing Yeh Beach (S) Tong Fuk Beach (S)
Kwun Yam Beach (S) Trio Beach (S)
Lo So Shing Beach (S) Upper Cheung Sha Beach (S)
Grade 2 beaches are:
Butterfly Beach (S) Kiu Tsui Beach (S)
Cafeteria New Beach (S) Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach (S) Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach (S)
Castle Peak Beach (S) Middle Bay Beach (S)
Clear Water Bay First Beach (S) Shek O Beach (S)
Clear Water Bay Second Beach (S) Silver Mine Bay Beach (S)
Deep Water Bay Beach (S) Silverstrand Beach (S)
Golden Beach (S) Stanley Main Beach (S)
Kadoorie Beach (S) Turtle Cove Beach (S)
Grade 3 beach is Big Wave Bay Beach (S).
Beach grades are published weekly before the weekend. The information may also be obtained from the department's website at www.epd.gov.hk or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, St. Stephen's Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, while Stanley Main Beach has 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," a 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.
Seven gazetted beaches -- Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Casam Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach -- are closed to swimmers year round because of poor water quality.
People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.
The 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, September 2, 2005
Issued at HKT 14:01
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