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Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 6) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.
Eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 21 were rated as Fair (Grade 2), nine were rated as Poor (Grade 3) and one was rated as Very Poor (Grade 4).
Grade 1 beaches are:
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Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach
Discovery Bay*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
Lo So Shing Beach
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Lower Cheung Sha Beach
South Bay Beach
Tong Fuk Beach
Upper Cheung Sha Beach
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Grade 2 beaches are:
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Big Wave Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach
Kadoorie Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
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Middle Bay Beach
Pui O Beach
Repulse Bay Beach
Shek O Beach
Silver Mine Bay Beach
Silverstrand Beach
St. Stephen's Beach
Stanley Main Beach
Trio Beach
Turtle Cove Beach
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Grade 3 beaches are:
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Anglers' Beach
Approach Beach
Cafeteria New Beach
Casam Beach
Castle Peak Beach
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Golden Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Lido Beach
Ting Kau Beach
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Grade 4 beach is
Clear Water Bay Second 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, Discovery Bay has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Big Wave Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Clear Water Bay First Beach, Deep Water Bay Beach, Hap Mun Bay Beach, Stanley Main Beach and Trio Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2. Cafeteria New Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3. The water quality of Silverstrand Beach has resumed normal and been upgraded to Grade 2 since its last grading (Grade 4) this Wednesday (June 4) due to temporary deterioration of water condition. Clear Water Bay Second Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 4.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"However, water quality deterioration was detected at Clear Water Bay Second Beach and the beach was graded at 4 on June 4. The red flag has since been hoisted by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) to advise swimmers that the beach is not suitable for swimming. The poor water quality of the beach is suspected to be caused by the sewerage network of the beach facilities. Government departments including the LCSD and Architectural Services Department are now carrying out detailed inspection to the facilities and will follow up with immediate rectification if necessary. The EPD will continue to closely monitor the situation."
Noting that red tides have recently affected a number of beaches at various districts, the EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the LCSD before swimming.
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.
Ends/Friday, June 6, 2014
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