The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 2) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).
Twenty-two beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 as Fair (Grade 2) and four as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
|
Butterfly Beach* |
Kwun Yam Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
|
Anglers' Beach |
Lido Beach* |
Grade 3 beaches are:
|
Castle Peak Beach |
Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
Compared with the grading released last week, Butterfly Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Deep Water Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Tong Fuk Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Castle Peak Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
“The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” an EPD spokesman said.
Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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.
