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Grading of beach water quality released
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     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 24) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
 
     Eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 25 as Fair (Grade 2), six as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:    
Hap Mun Bay Beach* South Bay Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach* Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Kiu Tsui Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
 
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach* Kwun Yam Beach
Butterfly Beach* Lido Beach*
Cafeteria New Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach Shek O Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach* St. Stephen's Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach* Stanley Main Beach*
Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach Ting Kau Beach*
Golden Beach* Trio Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kadoorie Beach  
 
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach Beach Castle Peak Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach* Pui O Beach*
Casam Beach* Silverstrand Beach*
 
Grade 4 beach is:
Silver Mine Bay Beach*  
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Hap Mun Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Lido Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2, and St. Stephen's Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 2. Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, Castle Peak Beach and Pui O Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3, and Silver Mine Bay Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 4.
 
     "The changes in beach water quality are generally within the normal range of natural fluctuation, while the deterioration of water quality of Silver Mine Bay Beach was due to the impact of the heavy rain that occurred earlier this week," 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. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).
 
Note 1: Lifesaving services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 21 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from June 1. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Special Announcement (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/beach/index.html).
 
Note 2: This refers to Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach which has no lifesaving service.
 
Ends/Friday, July 24, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:00
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