Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 28) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
 
     Eleven beaches were rated as good (grade 1), 21 as fair (grade 2) and six as poor (grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:
 
Chung Hom Kok Beach South Bay Beach
Discovery Bay St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Repulse Bay Beach  
 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 
Anglers' Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Castle Peak Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silverstrand Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kadoorie Beach  
 
Grade 3 beaches are:
 
Approach Beach Cafeteria Old Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Ting Kau Beach
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Chung Hom Kok Beach and Tong Fuk Beach have been upgraded from grade 2 to grade 1; Casam Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Golden Beach and Lido Beach from grade 3 to grade 2.  Hung Shing Yeh Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been changed from grade 1 to grade 2.
 
      "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 also 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.  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.

Ends/Friday, July 28, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:00

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