| Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department today (May 7) released the
latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public,
rating 21 as Good (Grade 1) and 12 as Fair (Grade 2).
The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. (S) indicates
a beach that is equipped with a shark net.
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Cheung
Chau Tung Wan Beach (S) |
Deep
Water Bay Beach (S) |
| Kwun
Yam Beach (S) |
Hairpin
Beach (S) |
| Hung Shing
Yeh Beach (S) |
Middle
Bay Beach (S) |
| Lo So Shing
Beach (S) |
Repulse
Bay Beach (S) |
| Pui O Beach
(S) |
South Bay
Beach (S) |
| Lower Cheung
Sha Beach |
Stanley
Main Beach (S) |
| Tong Fuk
Beach (S) |
St. Stephen's
Beach (S) |
| Upper Cheung
Sha Beach (S) |
Turtle
Cove Beach (S) |
| Clear Water
Bay First Beach (S) |
Kiu Tsui
Beach (S) |
| Clear Water
Bay Second Beach (S) |
Trio Beach
(S) |
| Hap Mun
Bay Beach (S) |
|
Grade 2 beaches
are:
| Silver
Mine Bay Beach (S) |
Big Wave Bay Beach (S) |
| Butterfly
Beach (S) |
Chung Hom
Kok Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria
New Beach (S) |
Shek O
Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria
Old Beach |
Silverstrand
Beach (S) |
| Golden
Beach (S) |
Ma Wan
Tung Wan Beach (S) |
| Kadoorie
Beach (S) |
Discovery
Bay* |
| |
|
Clear Water
Bay First Beach, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yum Beach have
upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from
Grade 3 to Grade 2.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation
of the bacteriological water quality of the beach," a spokesman
said.
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 into 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.
The 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, May 7, 2004
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