An important part of the EPD's work involves providing the public with up-to-the-minute information about the quality of water at Hong Kong's beaches, so they can make informed decisions about when and where they will swim on any particular occasion. The EPD operates a number of public information channels that make it easy for anyone to get the information they need fast, at any time of the day.

By phone, the EPD operates a water quality hotline - 2511 6666 - with the latest information available. Its website is another useful way of accessing information, at http://www.epd.gov.hk. The website does not simply report the latest grading statistics, but also contains other useful information about individual beaches, such as their locations and the kinds of facilities available at them.

  
 

 
  The EPD also releases regular weekly water quality press releases during the bathing season, usually on a Friday to suit the needs of the many weekend swimmers. These releases can often be found in selected Hong Kong newspapers.  
 
  At beaches themselves, the latest EPD water quality information is provided to the beach management offices of all gazetted beaches that are open to the public, and this information should be displayed prominently on notice boards near the public facilities at each beach. At 21 beaches that are particularly susceptible to the effects of heavy rain, permanent noticeboards are also in place warning swimmers to avoid swimming for up to three days after a heavy downpour, to allow time for any pollutants flushed out by the rain to disperse.  
     
 
 
  Finally, the EPD publishes its report on Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong annually, the latest version of which you are now reading. Each annual report contains extensive collected information on the events of the year, and is a rich resource for students, scholars, and researchers and an important collection of data for future generations.