Press Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department today (August 12) released the latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public, rating 20 as Good (Grade 1), 12 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. (S) indicates a beach that is equipped with a shark net.
Grade 1 beaches are:
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Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach (S)
Chung Hom Kok Beach (S)
Deep Water Bay Beach (S)
Hap Mun Bay Beach (S)
Hung Shing Yeh Beach (S)
Kiu Tsui Beach (S)
Kwun Yam Beach (S)
Lo So Shing Beach (S)
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Middle Bay Beach (S)
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Pui O Beach (S)
Repulse Bay Beach (S)
Shek O Beach (S)
South Bay Beach (S)
St. Stephen's Beach (S)
Stanley Main Beach (S)
Tong Fuk Beach (S)
Trio Beach (S)
Turtle Cove Beach (S)
Upper Cheung Sha Beach (S)
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Grade 2 beaches are:
Butterfly Beach (S)
Cafeteria New Beach (S)
Cafeteria Old Beach (S)
Castle Peak Beach (S)
Clear Water Bay First Beach (S)
Clear Water Bay Second Beach (S)
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Discovery Bay*
Golden Beach (S)
Kadoorie Beach (S)
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach (S)
Silver Mine Bay Beach (S)
Silverstrand Beach (S)
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Grade 3 beach is Big Wave Bay Beach (S).
Beach grades are published weekly before the weekend. The information may also be obtained from the department's website at www.epd.gov.hk or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Shek O Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1, while Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Big Wave Bay Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," a spokesman said.
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.
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.
People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.
The 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, August 12, 2005
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