Press Release
Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department today (July 9) released the latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public, rating 24 as Good (Grade 1), eight as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Very Poor (Grade 4).
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:
| Kwun Yam Beach (S) |
Big Wave Bay Beach (S) |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach (S) |
Chung Hom Kok Beach (S) |
| Lo So Shing Beach (S) |
Deep Water Bay Beach (S) |
| Pui O Beach (S) |
Hairpin Beach (S) |
| Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
Middle Bay Beach (S) |
| Silver Mine Bay Beach (S) |
Repulse Bay Beach (S) |
| Tong Fuk Beach (S) |
Shek O Beach (S) |
| Upper Cheung Sha Beach (S) |
South Bay Beach (S) |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach (S) |
Stanley Main Beach (S) |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach (S) |
St. Stephen's Beach (S) |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach (S) |
Turtle Cove Beach (S) |
| Kiu Tsui Beach (S) |
Trio Beach (S) |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach (S) |
Golden Beach (S) |
| Butterfly Beach (S) |
Kadoorie Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria New Beach (S) |
Silverstrand Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria Old Beach |
Discovery Bay* |
Grade 4 beach is Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach (S).
Compared with the grading released last week, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Golden Beach and Discovery Bay have changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2 and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 4.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beach except for Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach.
"The very poor water quality of Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach is due to heavy rain which flushed pollutants from the beach hinterland into the water," 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, July 9, 2004
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