Grading of beach water quality released
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Twenty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach | Repulse Bay Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach | Shek O Beach |
| Discovery Bay | South Bay Beach |
| Golden Beach | St Stephen's Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach | Stanley Main Beach |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Kiu Tsui Beach | Trio Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
| Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach | Clear Water Bay First Beach |
| Approach Beach | Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Kadoorie Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Lido Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Pui O Beach |
| Casam Beach | Silverstrand Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Butterfly Beach | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
Compared with the grading released last week, Discovery Bay and Middle Bay Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Pui O Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Lower Cheung Sha 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.
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.
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.
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.
Ends/Friday, June 16, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:00
Issued at HKT 16:00
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