***************************************
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 27) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Fifteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 17 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and seven were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Stanley Main Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Trio Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Silverstrand Beach
Discovery Bay* Turtle Cove Beach
Golden Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak 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, Deep Water Bay Beach and Repulse Bay Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Anglers' Beach and Chung Hom Kok Beach have been upgraded to Grade 3 and Grade 2, respectively since their last grading (Grade 4) this Wednesday (June 25).
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Anglers' Beach and Chung Hom Kok Beach, we observed temporary deterioration of water quality which was largely due to heavy rain earlier this week. The latest samples obtained show that the water quality of these beaches has returned to normal. Our investigation did not show any specific pollution sources, and we will continue to monitor these beaches 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.
Ends/Friday, June 27, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:00
NNNN
