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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 28) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
Thirty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and eight as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
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Anglers' Beach
Big Wave Bay 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
Kadoorie Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Lido Beach
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Lo So Shing Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Pui O Beach
Repulse Bay Beach
Shek O Beach
Silverstrand Beach
South Bay Beach
St Stephen's Beach
Stanley Main Beach
Tong Fuk Beach
Trio Beach
Turtle Cove Beach
Upper Cheung Sha Beach
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Grade 2 beaches are:
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Approach Beach
Butterfly Beach
Cafeteria New Beach
Casam Beach
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Castle Peak Beach
Golden Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Ting Kau Beach
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Compared with the grading released last week, Approach Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, Casam Beach and Ting Kau Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2. Castle Peak Beach has been upgraded to Grade 2 since its last grading (Grade 4) on April 25, 2017.
“The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” the EPD spokesman said.
“For Castle Peak Beach, we observed that the earlier temporary deterioration of water quality (sampled on April 24) was due to heavy rain. The latest sample taken shows that the water quality of the beach has improved.”
Under the 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.
The EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming in Hap Mun Bay Beach (Sai Kung District), which may be affected by suspected red tides found recently.
The EPD spokesman also 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.
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.
Ends/Friday, April 28, 2017
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