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Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The
Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today
(October 4) released the latest grading of 37
beaches to inform the public about the water quality
of beaches in Hong Kong.
"Among
the 37 beaches, 20 beaches are found to be in
'Good' condition (Grade 1)," a spokesman for the
EPD said.
"Of
the other 17 beaches, 12 beaches are graded 'Fair'
(Grade 2), two 'Poor' (Grade 3) and three 'Very
Poor' (Grade 4).
"Grade
1" beaches are
| Kwun
Yam Wan (S) |
Discovery
Bay* |
| 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) |
| |
|
| |
|
"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) |
| Cheung
Sha Lower Beach |
Chung
Hom Kok (S) |
| Silverstrand
(S) |
Kadoorie
(S) |
"Grade
3" beaches are
| Casam
(S) |
Tung
Wan, Ma Wan (S) |
| |
|
"Grade
4" beaches are
| Lido
(S) |
Gemini
|
|
| Hoi
Mei Wan |
|
|
| |
|
|
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, Kadoorie
and Silverstrand have upgraded from 'Grade 3'
to 'Grade 2'; Tung Wan on Ma Wan and Casam from
'Grade 4' to 'Grade 3'; and Chung Hom Kok and
Cheung Sha Lower Beach have changed from 'Grade
1' to 'Grade 2'.
"The
changes are generally within the normal range
of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality
of these beaches.
"The
very poor water quality of some beaches in Tsuen
Wan is partly due to the heavy rain which flushed
the pollutants from the unsewered beach hinterland
into the water as well as the relatively poor
marine water quality in the background.
"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.epd.gov.hk 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 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 as far as possible until the
water quality there has improved.
End/Friday,
October 4, 2002
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