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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 23) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
Eighteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), nineteen as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
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Chung Hom Kok 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
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
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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
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Grade 2 beaches are:
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Anglers' Beach
Approach Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach
Cafeteria New Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach
Casam Beach
Castle Peak Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach
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Clear Water Bay Second Beach
Golden Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Kadoorie Beach
Lido Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Pui O Beach
Silverstrand Beach
Trio Beach
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Grade 3 beach is:
Compared with the grading released last week, Butterfly Beach and Lower Cheung Sha Beach have been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Silverstrand Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach have been upgraded to Grade 2 and Ting Kau Beach to Grade 3 since last grading. Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Golden 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,” the EPD spokesman said.
“For Silverstrand Beach, Ting Kau Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach, we observed that their temporary deterioration of water quality was due to heavy rain. The latest samples taken show that the water quality of the beaches has improved.”
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.
Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the geometric mean of the E coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions. Grade 4 is assigned to beaches whose E coli readings show abnormalities that may affect bathers' health. Bathers should avoid swimming at these beaches until their water quality improves.
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, June 23, 2017
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