***************************************
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 25) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.
Eighteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 19 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and two were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Chung Hom Kok Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Shek O Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach South Bay Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach St Stephen's Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Trio Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Middle Bay Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Golden Beach
Approach Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Silverstrand Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Stanley Main Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Ting Kau Beach
*Discovery Bay
Grade 3 beaches are:
Butterfly 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 or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Lo So Shing Beach and Shek O Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Deep Water Bay Beach, Kadoorie Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Butterfly Beach and Castle Peak Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Cafeteria Old Beach, we observed temporary deterioration of water quality, which was largely due to heavy rain. The latest samples taken show that the water quality of the beach has improved. 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, September 25, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:02
NNNN
