| Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) today (September 27) released the latest
grading of 37 beaches to inform the public about the water quality
of beaches in Hong Kong.
"Among
the 37 beaches, 22 beaches are found to be in 'Good' condition (Grade
1)," a spokesman for the EPD said.
"Of the
other 15 beaches, eight beaches are graded 'Fair' (Grade 2), two
'Poor' (Grade 3) and five 'Very Poor' (Grade 4).
"Grade 1" beaches
are
| Kwun
Yam Wan (S) |
Chung
Hom Kok (S) |
| Cheung
Sha Upper Beach (S) |
Hairpin
(S) |
| Pui
O (S) |
South
Bay (S) |
| Tong
Fuk (S) |
St.
Stephen's Beach (S) |
| Hung
Shing Yeh (S) |
Stanley
Main Beach (S) |
| Lo
So Shing (S) |
Turtle
Cove (S) |
| Shek
O (S) |
Deep
Water Bay (S) |
| Tung
Wan, Cheung Chau (S) |
Kiu
Tsui (S) |
| Hap
Mun Bay (S) |
Trio
(S) |
|
Middle Bay (S) |
Repulse Bay (S) |
| Cheung
Sha Lower Beach |
Discovery
Bay* |
| |
|
"Grade 2" beaches are
| Butterfly
(S) |
Silvermine
Bay (S) |
| Cafeteria
Old Beach |
Big
Wave Bay (S) |
| Cafeteria
New Beach (S) |
Clear
Water Bay Second Beach (S) |
| Golden
Beach (S) |
Clear Water Bay First Beach (S) |
| |
|
"Grade
3" beaches are
| Kadoorie
(S) |
Silverstrand
(S) |
"Grade 4" beaches
are
| Lido (S) |
Casam (S) |
|
| Gemini |
Hoi Mei
Wan |
|
| Tung Wan,
Ma Wan (S) |
|
|
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, Clear Water
Bay First has changed from Grade 1' to 'Grade 2'; Kadoorie and Silverstrand
from 'Grade 2' to 'Grade 3'; and Tung Wan on Ma Wan from 'Grade
3' to 'Grade 4'".
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation
of the bacteriological water quality of these beaches.
"The very poor grading of the beaches in Tsuen Wan is due to
heavy rain which flushed pollutants from the unsewered beach hinterland
into the water.
"Beach grades are released every week before the weekend in
order to provide timely information for 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," the spokesman said.
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 reading exceeds
a high figure irrespective of the geometric mean.
The spokesman
said: "At present, three gazetted beaches, namely Anglers',
Approach and Ting Kau are closed to swimmers all year round because
of their poor water quality.
"The public
are advised not to swim at these closed beaches."
In general,
many beahes 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
as far as possible until the water quality there has improved.
End/Friday,
September 27, 2002
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