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Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) today (August 24) released the
latest grading of beaches to inform the public about the water
quality of beaches in Hong Kong.
"Among
the 37 beaches, 19 beaches are found to be in 'Good' condition
(Grade 1), 15 are 'Fair' (Grade 2), and three are 'Poor' (Grade
3)," a spokesman for the EPD said.
"Grade
1" beaches are:
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Chung
Hom Kok (S)
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Hap
Mun Bay (S)
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Hairpin
(S)
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Kiu
Tsui (S)
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Middle
Bay (S)
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Hung
Shing Yeh (S)
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Repulse
Bay (S)
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Lo
So Shing (S)
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South
Bay (S)
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Kwun
Yam Wan (S)
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Stanley
Main Beach (S)
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Tung
Wan, Cheung Chau (S)
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St.
Stephen's Beach (S)
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Cheung
Sha Upper (S)
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Turtle
Cove (S)
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Cheung
Sha Lower
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Discovery
Bay*
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Tong
Fuk (S)
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Trio
(S)
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"Grade
2" beaches are:
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Big
Wave Bay (S)
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Cafeteria
New (S)
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Deep
Water Bay (S)
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Kadoorie
(S)
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Shek
O (S)
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Golden
Beach (S)
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Silvermine
Bay (S)
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Clear
Water Bay First Beach (S)
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Pui
O (S)
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Clear
Water Bay Second Beach (S)
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Silverstrand
(S)
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Gemini
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Butterfly
(S)
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Tung
Wan (Ma Wan) (S)
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Cafeteria
Old
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"Grade
3" beaches are:
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Casam
(S)
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Hoi
Mei Wan
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Lido
(S)
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The beach
with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach while those with
(S) have shark prevention nets installed.
"Comparing
with the grading released last week, Trio and Tong Fuk have
upgraded from 'Grade 2' to 'Grade 1'; Silverstrand, Cafeteria
Old and Gemini from 'Grade 3' to 'Grade 2'. Pui O has changed
from 'Grade 1' to 'Grade 2' and Casam from 'Grade 2' to 'Grade
3'
"The changes
are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the
bacteriological water quality of these beaches," the spokesman
said.
"During
the bathing season, beach grades will be released every week
before the weekend in order to provide timely information
for the weekend beach-goers.
"The latest
beach grading is also available from the EPD homepage at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd/
or the EPD's beach hotline at 2511 6666," he added.
Under
the grading system, beaches are classified into four grades
according to the level of E. coli in the water.
The beach
grading is calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of
the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
"Grade
4" would also be given to a beach when its last E. coli reading
exceeds a high figure irrespective of the geometric mean.
The spokesman
said: "At present, five gazetted beaches, namely Anglers',
Approach, Ting Kau, Castle Peak and Rocky Bay, are closed
to swimmers for the whole bathing season because of their
poor water quality or lack of beach facilities. The public
are advised not to swim at those closed beaches.
In general,
many beaches are likely to be more polluted than the beach
grades suggested during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers
should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after
a storm or heavy rainfall.
The public
are also advised to avoid swimming at the "Grade 4" beaches
until the water quality has improved.
End/Friday,
August 24, 2001
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