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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 17) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 17 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and two were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cafeteria Old Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach Kadoorie Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kiu Tsui Beach
Butterfly Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Ting Kau Beach
Discovery Bay* Trio Beach
Golden Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Pui O 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. 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 and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Discovery Bay, Big Wave Bay Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, Butterfly Beach and Cafeteria New Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Pui O Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3. Kiu Tsui Beach has been upgraded to Grade 2 since its last grading (Grade 4) this Tuesday (April 15).
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Kiu Tsui Beach, temporary deterioration of water quality was observed. The latest samples obtained show that the water quality of the beach has returned to normal. Our investigation did not show any specific pollution sources, and we will continue to monitor the beach regularly."
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.
Meanwhile, the department has published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2013". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2013 and is accessible at a dedicated website at www.beachwq.gov.hk and the EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, April 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:38
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