The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 20) 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).
Eighteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 17 as Fair (Grade 2) and five as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cafeteria New Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach
Discovery Bay
Golden Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach*
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*
Lo So Shing Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Repulse Bay Beach*
Shek O Beach*
South Bay Beach
St Stephen's Beach
Stanley Main Beach*
Tong Fuk Beach
Trio Beach
Turtle Cove Beach
Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach
Approach Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach
Castle Peak Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*
Deep Water Bay Beach*
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Kadoorie Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Lido Beach*
Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Pui O Beach *
Silverstrand Beach*
Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Grade 3 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach*
Butterfly Beach*
Casam Beach*
Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Ting Kau Beach
Compared with the grading released last week, Middle Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Kiu Tsui Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; Big Wave Bay Beach, Butterfly Beach, Casam Beach and Silver Mine Bay 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. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 18 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, from July 17.
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
Ends/Friday, August 20, 2021
