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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 14) released the latest grading of water quality of 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).
Twelve beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 20 as Fair (Grade 2), six as Poor (Grade 3) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
Grade 1 beaches are:
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Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Lo So Shing Beach
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Repulse Bay Beach
South Bay Beach
St Stephen's Beach
Tong Fuk Beach
Turtle Cove Beach
Upper Cheung Sha Beach
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Grade 2 beaches are:
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Cafeteria New Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach
Castle Peak Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach
Discovery Bay
Golden Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Kadoorie Beach
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Kiu Tsui Beach
Lido Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Pui O Beach
Shek O Beach
Silver Mine Bay Beach
Silverstrand Beach
Stanley Main Beach
Trio Beach
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Grade 3 beaches are:
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Approach Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach
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Casam Beach
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Ting Kau Beach
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Grade 4 beach is:
*: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
Compared with the grading released last week, Castle Peak Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Shek O Beach and Trio Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Butterfly Beach, Casam Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3; Anglers' Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 4.
“The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” an EPD spokesman said. “For Anglers' Beach, the temporary deterioration of water quality was due to frequent heavy rain occurred in late August and early September.”
While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected 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 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.
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, September 14, 2018
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