Press Release

 

Grading of beach water quality released

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 11) released the latest grading of water quality of 38 beaches.

Twenty-six beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and twelve were rated as Fair (Grade 2).

Grade 1 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach
Cafeteria New Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach
Discovery Bay*
Hap Mun Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach

Kwun Yam Beach
Lo So Shing Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Repulse Bay Beach
Shek O Beach
South Bay Beach
St. Stephen's Beach
Stanley Main Beach
Tong Fuk Beach
Turtle Cove Beach
Upper Cheung Sha Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers’ Beach
Approach Beach
Casam Beach
Castle Peak Beach
Golden Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach

Kadoorie Beach
Lido Beach
Pui O Beach
Silver Mine Bay Beach
Silverstrand Beach
Trio Beach


The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. All gazetted beaches are equipped with shark nets.

A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

Compared with the grading released last week, Chung Hom Kok Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, and Pui O Beach from Grade 4 to Grade 2; Golden Beach, Silver Mine Bay Beach and Trio 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 our present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades 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.

Grade 4 is assigned to beaches whose last E. coli reading exceeded a threshold figure, irrespective of the geometric mean. Swimmers are advised to avoid these beaches until the water quality improves.

People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.

The EPD spokesman warned that many beaches were likely to be more polluted than their grades suggested during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, the department has published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2013". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2013 and is accessible at a dedicated website at www.beachwq.gov.hk and EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.

Ends/Friday, April 11, 2014

 

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