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The Environmental Protection Department today (March 16) released the latest grading of water quality of eight beaches.
Among them, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Golden Beach and Silverstrand Beach are open to swimmers year round.
Four other beaches in the Southern District have been opened for swimming since March 1. They are Big Wave Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach and Stanley Main Beach.
"Among the eight beaches, six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and two were rated as Fair (Grade 2)," a spokesman for the department said.
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Repulse Bay Beach
Stanley Main Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Golden Beach
Silverstrand Beach
All the above beaches are equipped with shark nets.
Beach grades are published weekly before the weekend. The information may also be obtained from the department's website at www.epd.gov.hk or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Golden Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
"The change is generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beach," the spokesman said.
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.
Seven gazetted beaches -- Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Casam Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach -- are closed to swimmers year round because of poor water quality.
People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.
The 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 published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2006". The report, which summarises the state of local beaches in 2006, is available at the department's website.
Ends/Friday, March 16, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:00
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