Grading of beach water quality released
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Twelve beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 20 as Fair (Grade 2), six as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach | Repulse Bay Beach |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach | St Stephen's Beach |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach | Tong Fuk Beach |
| Kwun Yam Beach | Turtle Cove Beach |
| Lo So Shing Beach | Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Cafeteria New Beach | Kiu Tsui Beach |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Lido Beach |
| Castle Peak Beach | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Middle Bay Beach |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach | Pui O Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach | Shek O Beach |
| Discovery Bay | Silver Mine Bay Beach |
| Golden Beach | Silverstrand Beach |
| Hoi Mei Wan Beach | Stanley Main Beach |
| Kadoorie Beach | Trio Beach |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Approach Beach | Casam Beach |
| Big Wave Bay Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach |
| Butterfly Beach | Ting Kau Beach |
Grade 4 beach is:
Anglers' Beach
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
Compared with the grading released last week, Castle Peak Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Shek O Beach and Trio Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Butterfly Beach, Casam Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3; and Anglers' Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 4.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said. "For Anglers' Beach, the temporary deterioration of water quality was due to frequent heavy rain that occurred in late August and early September."
While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the 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.
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.
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, September 14, 2018
Issued at HKT 16:00
Issued at HKT 16:00
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