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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 1) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.
Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 16 as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Shek O Beach
Golden 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 Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach * Discovery Bay
Approach Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Silverstrand Beach
Casam Beach Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak Beach Trio 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, Golden Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1.
"The change is generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beach," the EPD spokesman said.
Noting that suspected red tides have recently affected a number of beaches at various districts, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.
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.
Meanwhile, the department has published the report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2015". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2015 and is accessible online at www.beachwq.gov.hk and www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, April 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:30
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