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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 beaches.
Twelve beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 22 as Fair (Grade 2) and five as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Chung Hom Kok Beach Middle Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach St Stephen's Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Kadoorie Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach Pui O Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Silverstrand Beach
* Discovery Bay Stanley Main Beach
Golden Beach Trio Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Butterfly Beach Ting Kau 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 and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Kiu Tsui Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Silver Mine Bay Beach and Silverstrand Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Butterfly Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Ting Kau 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," the EPD spokesman said.
"For Lower Cheung Sha Beach, we observed that temporary deterioration of water quality was largely due to heavy rain. The latest samples taken show that the water quality of the beach has improved."
Noting that recent oil spills had affected a number of beaches in Tsuen Wan District, and also Silver Mine Bay Beach in Islands District, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest updates 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.
Ends/Friday, May 13, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:22
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