The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 27) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Eighteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 18 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Pui O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Golden Beach	South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	St Stephen's 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

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Lido Beach
Butterfly Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old 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

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Casam Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Golden Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 and Silver Mine Bay Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Casam Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
      
     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an 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.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could 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, July 27, 2018
Issued at HKT 17:00

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