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Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 15) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.

     Seventeen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 20 as Fair (Grade 2), one as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach     Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach            Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach   South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach           St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach              Stanley Main Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach           Tong Fuk Beach
Kwun Yam Beach                 Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach              Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Middle Bay Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach                 Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach                 Kadoorie Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach             Kiu Tsui Beach  
Butterfly Beach                Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach            Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach            Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach                    Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach    Silverstrand Beach
* Discovery Bay                Ting Kau Beach
Golden Beach                   Trio Beach

Grade 3 beach is:

Castle Peak Beach

Grade 4 beach is:

Silver Mine Bay 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, Cafeteria New Beach, Casam Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach, Lido Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Trio Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, Castle Peak Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3, and Silver Mine Bay Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 4.

     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches. The very poor water quality of Silver Mine Bay Beach may be due to the recent heavy rainfall," the EPD spokesman said.

     Noting that a suspected red tide has recently affected Hap Mun Bay Beach in Sai Kung District, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.

     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.

     Meanwhile, the department has published a 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 15, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:02

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