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All gazetted beaches opened to the public during the bathing season are regularly monitored by the EPD. Water samples are collected from each beach for analysing the bacterial level. Based on these results, beaches are classified according to a Grading System to inform the public of the recent bacteriological water quality status. Updated beach gradings are released during the bathing season through weekly press release before weekend, this website and a dedicated telephone hotline (2511-6666). The beach grades are also displayed at the beaches by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Beaches are classified into four grades by calculating the geometric mean E. coli level of the 5 most recent sampling occasions and the worst grade is also given to a beach when the last E. coli reading exceeds a high figure.
| Beach Grading System |
| Grade |
Beach water quality |
E. coli #
(count per 100ml) |
Minor Illness Rate*
(Cases per 1000 swimmers) |
| 1 |
Good |
≤ 24 |
Undetectable |
| 2 |
Fair |
25 - 180 |
≤ 10 |
| 3 |
Poor |
181 - 610 |
11 - 15 |
| 4 |
Very Poor |
> 610 or
last reading > 1600 |
> 15 |
# Except where indicated, the E. coli level is the geometric mean E. coli level of the 5 most recent sampling occasions.
* Skin and gastrointestinal illnesses.
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