Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 15) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 beaches.

     Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 17 were rated as Fair (Grade 2).

Grade 1 beaches are:
 
Casam Beach                   Repulse Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach    Shek O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach           South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach          St. Stephen's Beach
Discovery Bay*                Stanley Main Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach             Tong Fuk Beach  
Hoi Mei Wan Beach             Trio Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach          Turtle Cove Beach  
Kwun Yam Beach                Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lo So Shing Beach             Middle Bay Beach  
 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Approach Beach                Kiu Tsui Beach  
Big Wave Bay Beach            Lido Beach  
Butterfly Beach               Lower Cheung Sha Beach  
Cafeteria New Beach           Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach  
Cafeteria Old Beach           Pui O Beach  
Castle Peak Beach             Silver Mine Bay Beach  
Clear Water Bay First Beach   Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach  Golden Beach  
Kadoorie 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.beachwq.gov.hk or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     Compared with the grading released last week, Casam Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach, Lido Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Silverstrand 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," an EPD spokesman said.

     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 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:03

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