The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 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).
   
     Thirty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and nine as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach*	Lo So Shing Beach
Cafeteria New Beach*	Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Pui O Beach*
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Repulse Bay Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Shek O Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach*	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*	South Bay Beach*
Discovery Bay	St Stephen's Beach
Golden Beach*	Stanley Main Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Tong Fuk Beach
Kadoorie Beach*	Trio Beach*
Kiu Tsui Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Approach Beach	Lido Beach*
Butterfly Beach*	Lower Cheung Sha Beach*
Casam Beach*	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Castle Peak Beach	Ting Kau Beach*
Hoi Mei Wan Beach

     Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Lower Cheung Sha 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: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 25 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, from September 5.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Friday, September 30, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:00

NNNN