The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 30) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).     
   
     Fourteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2), 10 as Poor (Grade 3) and two as Very Poor (Grade 4).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	South Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	St Stephen's Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Kiu Tsui Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Trio Beach*
Middle Bay Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Silverstrand Beach*	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Cafeteria New Beach	Kwun Yam Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Pui O Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Repulse Bay Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Shek O Beach*
Discovery Bay	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Golden Beach*

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Approach Beach	Kadoorie Beach*
Big Wave Bay Beach	Lido Beach*
Butterfly Beach*	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Casam Beach*	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Ting Kau Beach*

 
Grade 4 beaches are:

Castle Peak Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach

     Compared with the grading released last week, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Tong Fuk Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Casam Beach, Lido Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Kadoorie Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
 
     "We observed that the impact caused by the unstable weather in the region on the beach water quality since mid-May has been diminishing in the past week. We will continue our close monitoring at the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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 EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
 
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 20 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, from June 30.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Thursday, June 30, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:50

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