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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 5) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.
Twelve beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 20 were rated as Fair (Grade 2), six were rated as Poor (Grade 3) and one was rated as Very Poor (Grade 4).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach St Stephen's Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Middle Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Shek O Beach
* Discovery Bay Silver Mine Bay Beach
Golden Beach Silverstrand Beach
Kadoorie Beach South Bay Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Ting Kau Beach
Grade 4 beach is:
Approach 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, Ting Kau Beach has been upgraded from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Clear Water First Bay Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Silverstrand Beach and South Bay Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Butterfly Beach, Casam Beach and Lido Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3; and Approach Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 4.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Ting Kau Beach, temporary deterioration of water quality was observed. The latest samples obtained show that the water quality of the beach has improved. Our investigation did not find any specific pollution sources, and we will continue to monitor the beach regularly."
"The very poor water quality of Approach Beach may be due to the recent heavy rainfall and we have been conducting pollution investigation at the beach."
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.
Ends/Friday, June 5, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:00
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