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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 30) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 beaches.
Thirty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and four were rated as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Casam Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Discovery Bay* South Bay Beach
Golden Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kadoorie Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Approach Beach Castle Peak Beach
Butterfly Beach Silverstrand 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, Cafeteria Old Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to 1. Silverstrand Beach has changed from Grade 1 to 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, September 30, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:39
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