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Press Release

Grading of beach water quality released

The Environmental Protection Department today (November 28) released the latest grading of water quality at 11 beaches on Hong Kong Island and three beaches in the New Territories.

Twelve beaches were rated Good (Grade 1) and two were rated Fair (Grade 2).

Other beaches in the New Territories are closed for the winter season.

Grade 1 beaches are:

Big Wave Bay Beach Shek O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach South Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hairpin Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Middle Bay Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Repulse Bay Beach Golden Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Clear Water Bay Second Beach Silverstrand Beach

All the above beaches are equipped with shark nets.

A department spokesman said the Golden Beach was upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1.

"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beach," the spokesman said.

Beach grades are published weekly before the weekend. The information may also be obtained from the department's homepage at www.epd.gov.hk or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.

Under the grading system, beaches are classified in 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.

Seven gazetted beaches - Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Casam Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach - are closed to swimmers year round because of poor water quality.

The public is advised not to swim at these closed beaches.

The spokesman cautioned 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, November 28, 2003

 

 

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