The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 2) 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).     
   
     Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

Approach Beach	Lido Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach*	Lo So Shing Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Repulse Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach*	South Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	St Stephen's Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Discovery Bay	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Golden Beach*	Tong Fuk Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Trio Beach*
Hoi Mei Wan Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach*	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Butterfly Beach*	Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Pui O Beach*
Casam Beach*	Shek O Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Kadoorie Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Kwun Yam Beach	Ting Kau Beach*
Lower Cheung Sha Beach*

Grade 3 beach is:

Castle Peak Beach

     Compared with the grading released last week, Turtle Cove Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Kwun Yam Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Silverstrand Beach have 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 25 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, will be provided from September 5.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Friday, September 2, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:00

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