Grading of beach water quality released

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 27) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).

Twenty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2) and five as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Pui O Beach*
Cafeteria Old Beach Repulse Bay Beach*
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach South Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach St. Stephen's Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach* Stanley Main Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach* Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach* Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach* Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Lo So Shing Beach  
   
Grade 2 beaches are: 
Butterfly Beach* Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Middle Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Shek O Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Discovery Bay Silverstrand Beach*
Golden Beach* Ting Kau Beach
Kadoorie Beach  
   
Grade 3 beaches are: 
Approach Beach Lido Beach*
Casam Beach* Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*
Hoi Mei Wan Beach  
   

Compared with the grading released last week, Castle Peak Beach, Discovery Bay, Kadoorie Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Ma Wan Tung Wan 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.

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.

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 15 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, from May 5.

Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.

Ends/Friday, May 27, 2022