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Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 17) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 beaches.

     Twenty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 16 were rated as Fair (Grade 2).

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

Grade 2 beaches are:
 
Approach Beach                Golden Beach  
Big Wave Bay Beach            Kadoorie Beach  
Butterfly Beach               Lido Beach  
Cafeteria New Beach           Middle Bay Beach  
Cafeteria Old Beach           Pui O Beach
Casam Beach                   Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach             Silverstrand Beach  
Clear Water Bay Second Beach  Stanley Main 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 or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

     Compared with the grading released last week, Deep Water Bay Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Hung Shing Yeh Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to 1. Silverstrand Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 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, August 17, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:01

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