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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 19) released the latest grading of water quality of 36 beaches.
Fifteen beaches were rated as good (grade 1), 20 as fair (grade 2) and one was rated as poor (grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Approach Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Castle Peak Beach Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Pui O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Discovery Bay* Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach
Grade 3 beach is:
Cafeteria New 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 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, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach has been upgraded from grade 2 to grade 1. Big Wave Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Discovery Bay and Silverstrand Beach have 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 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.
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.
Meanwhile, the department has published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2012". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2012 and is accessible at a dedicated website at www.beachwq.gov.hk and EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, April 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:01
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