The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 15) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
 
     Twenty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 17 as Fair (Grade 2), one as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Repulse Bay Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Shek O Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	South Bay Beach*
Deep Water Bay 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
Kwun Yam Beach	Trio Beach*
Lo So Shing Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Middle Bay Beach*	Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Pui O Beach*

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach*	Golden Beach*
Approach Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach*	Kadoorie Beach*
Butterfly Beach*	Lido Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach*	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Casam Beach*	Silverstrand Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach*	Ting Kau Beach*
Discovery Bay

 
Grade 3 beach is:

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*

 
Grade 4 beach is:

Castle Peak Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Clear Water Bay First Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Castle Peak Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 4.
 
     "The deterioration of water quality in Castle Peak Beach was due to the heavy rain throughout the week, while the changes in other beaches 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 tropical cyclone 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.
 
     In line with the vision to develop Hong Kong into a smart city, the EPD launched the Beach Water Quality Forecast System on August 15 to provide daily water quality forecasts for all gazetted beaches in Hong Kong that are open for swimming, to supplement the existing beach water quality monitoring programme and further enhance services to the public (see Note 3). From now on, members of the public can obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches through the Beach Water Quality Forecast mobile application (available for download from: www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQApp) or the dedicated beach water quality forecast page (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast) on the EPD's beach thematic website.
 
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 26 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from September 1. Some gazetted beaches under the management of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department are temporarily closed due to inspection and clearance work of damages and miscellaneous articles caused by the extreme weather conditions. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Special Announcement (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/index.html).
 
Note 2: This refers to the non-gazetted beach in Discovery Bay which has no lifeguard service.
 
Note 3: The EPD launched the Beach Water Quality Forecast System on August 15, 2023. For the press release, please visit www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202308/15/P2023081400345.htm.

Ends/Friday, September 15, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00

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