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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 30) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Twelve beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 19 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and eight were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Butterfly Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O Beach
Discovery Bay* Silver Mine Bay Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Silverstrand Beach
Kadoorie Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Castle Peak Beach
Approach Beach Golden Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Ting Kau 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, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Hoi Mei Wan Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Kwun Yam Beach and St. Stephen's Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2. Golden Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3. Castle Peak Beach has been upgraded to Grade 3 since its last grading (Grade 4) this Wednesday (May 28).
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Castle Peak 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."
Noting that a suspected red tide has affected Turtle Cove Beach in Southern District, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.
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, May 30, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:02
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