| Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department today (May 14) released
the latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public,
rating 19 as Good (Grade 1), 13 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor
(Grade 3).
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) |
Stanley
Main Beach (S) |
| Lower Cheung
Sha Beach |
St. Stephen's
Beach (S) |
| Tong Fuk
Beach (S) |
Turtle
Cove Beach (S) |
| Upper Cheung
Sha 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 |
South Bay
Beach (S) |
| Golden
Beach (S) |
Silverstrand
Beach (S) |
| Clear
Water Bay First Beach (S) |
Discovery
Bay* |
| Ma
Wan Tung Wan Beach (S) |
|
Grade 3 beach
is Kadoorie Beach (S).
Comparing with the grading released last week, Clear Water Bay First
Beach and South Bay Beach have changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2 and
Kadoorie Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
"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 14, 2004
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