The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 20) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.

     Twenty-four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:
 

Cafeteria New Beach	Kiu Tsui Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Kwun Yam Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Lo So Shing Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	St Stephen's Beach
Discovery Bay	Stanley Main Beach
Golden Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	Trio Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Kadoorie Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach	Pui O Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Lido Beach

 
Grade 3 beach is:

Approach Beach

     Compared with the grading released last week, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Silverstrand Beach and Ting Kau Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Approach 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 also warned that beaches were likely to be temporarily affected 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, October 20, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:00

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