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Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) today (November 29) released the latest
grading of 11 beaches on Hong Kong Island and three beaches in the
New Territories. Since the bathing season for other beaches in the
New Territories already ended on October 31, 2002, they are closed
to swimmers.
"Among them,
12 beaches are found to be in 'Good' condition (Grade 1) and two
are 'Fair' (Grade 2)," a spokesman for the EPD said.
"Grade
1" beaches are
| Chung
Hom Kok |
Shek
O |
| Deep
Water Bay |
South
Bay |
| Hairpin |
St.
Stephen's Beach |
| Middle
Bay |
Stanley
Main Beach |
| Repulse
Bay |
Turtle
Cove |
| Big
Wave Bay |
Clear
Water Bay Second Beach |
"Grade 2" beaches
are
| Golden
Beach |
Silverstrand |
All these beaches
have been installed with shark prevention nets.
"Comparing with
the grading released last week, there is no change in the beach
grades of the 14 beaches.
"Beach grades
are released every week before the weekend in order to provide timely
information for weekend beach-goers.
"The latest
beach grading is also available from the EPD homepage at http://www.epd.gov.hk
or the EPD's beach hotline at 2511 6666," the spokesman said.
Under the grading
system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the
level of E. coli in the water.
The beach grading
is calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli
counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
"Grade 4" would
also be given to a beach when its last E. coli reading exceeds a
high figure irrespective of the geometric mean.
The spokesman
said: "At present, three gazetted beaches, namely Anglers', Approach
and Ting Kau are closed to swimmers all year round because of their
poor water quality.
"The public
are advised not to swim at these closed beaches," he added.
In general,
many beaches are likely to be more polluted than the beach 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.
The public are
also advised to avoid swimming at "Grade 4" beaches as far as possible
until the water quality has improved.
End/Friday,
November 29, 2002
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