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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Nine beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 24 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and six were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lo So Shing Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Kiu Tsui Beach
Butterfly Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old 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* Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Trio Beach
Kadoorie Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Castle Peak Beach
Approach 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 or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Hap Mun Bay Beach, Kwun Yam Beach and St. Stephen's Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Cafeteria New Beach, Golden Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach have been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Discovery Bay and Lower Cheung Sha Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2. Shek O Beach has been upgraded to Grade 2 since its last grading (Grade 4) yesterday (June 12). For Clear Water Bay Second Beach, the beach has been upgraded from Grade 4 to Grade 2 on June 10.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Shek O 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.
"For the Clear Water Bay Second Beach, the water quality has returned to normal. The problem of the sewerage network of the beach facilities has also been rectified."
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, June 13, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:56
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