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Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 12) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.

     Fourteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 20 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and five were rated as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach     Kwun Yam Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach            Lo So Shing Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach    Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach   St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach              Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach           Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach                 Upper Cheung Sha Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach                Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach             Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach            Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach            Pui O Beach
Castle Peak Beach              Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach           Shek O Beach
* Discovery Bay                Silver Mine Bay Beach
Golden Beach                   South Bay Beach
Kadoorie Beach                 Stanley Main Beach
Lido Beach                     Turtle Cove Beach

Grade 3 beaches are:

Approach Beach                 Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach                Ting Kau Beach
Casam 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, Clear Water Bay First Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1; Anglers' Beach and Lido Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2; and Approach Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Stanley Main Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.  

     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.

     "For Approach 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."

     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 12, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:02

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