Grading of beach water quality released

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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 19) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 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), 14 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:

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

Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach*	Discovery Bay
Approach Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach*	Kadoorie Beach*
Butterfly Beach*	Lido Beach*
Casam Beach*	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Pui O Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Ting Kau Beach*

Grade 3 beaches are:

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Silver Mine Bay Beach*

Compared with the grading released last week, Upper Cheung Sha Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Big Wave Bay Beach and Discovery Bay have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Silverstrand Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.

"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 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 1.

Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Friday, May 19, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00

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