| Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department today (March 19) released
the latest grading of water quality of 14 beaches.
Among them, Deep Water Bay Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach,
Silverstrand Beach and Golden Beach are open year round while others
in the Southern District have been open to the public since March
1.
Eleven beaches were rated Good (Grade 1) and three were rated Fair
(Grade 2).
Grade
1 beaches are:
| Big
Wave Bay Beach |
Shek O Beach |
| Chung
Hom Kok Beach |
South Bay
Beach |
| Deep Water
Bay Beach |
Stanley
Main Beach |
| Hairpin
Beach |
St. Stephen's
Beach |
| Middle
Bay Beach |
Turtle
Cove Beach |
| Repulse
Bay Beach |
|
| |
|
Grade 2 beaches
are:
| Clear
Water Bay Second Beach |
Silverstrand
Beach |
| Golden
Beach |
|
All the above
beaches are equipped with shark nets.
Clear Water Bay Second Beach has changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
"The change is generally within the normal range of fluctuation
of the bacteriological water quality of the beach," said an EPD
spokesman.
Beach grades are published weekly before the weekend. The information
may also be obtained from the department's homepage at www.epd.gov.hk
or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Under the grading system, beaches are classified in four grades
according to the level of E. coli in the water.
Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the
E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
Grade 4 is assigned to beaches whose last E. coli reading exceeded
a threshold figure, irrespective of the geometric mean. Swimmers
are advised to avoid these beaches until the water quality improves.
Seven gazetted beaches - Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau
Beach, Casam Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach
- are closed to swimmers year round because of poor water quality.
The public is advised not to swim at these closed beaches.
A spokesman cautioned that many beaches were likely to be more polluted
than their 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.
Ends/Friday, March 19, 2004
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