The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 5) 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).     
  
     Seventeen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 21 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
  
Grade 1 beaches are:         

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach	South Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Kiu Tsui Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Trio Beach*
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*	Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Repulse Bay Beach*

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Approach Beach	Kadoorie Beach*
Big Wave Bay Beach	Kwun Yam Beach
Butterfly Beach*	Lido Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach	Lower Cheung Sha Beach*
Cafeteria Old Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach*	Pui O Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Shek O Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Discovery Bay	Ting Kau Beach*
Golden Beach*	Turtle Cove Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach

   
Grade 3 beach is:

Castle Peak Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Clear Water Bay First Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Approach Beach, Casam Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Kadoorie Beach, Lido Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Silver Mine Bay Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Deep Water Bay Beach has 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," 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: The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has announced that lifeguard services at 21 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, will be provided from August 6.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Friday, August 5, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:00

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