Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The
Environmental Protection Department today (July 23) released the
latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public,
rating 22 as Good (Grade 1), 10 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:
| Kwun
Yam Beach (S) |
Big
Wave Bay Beach (S) |
| Hung
Shing Yeh Beach (S) |
Chung Hom
Kok Beach (S) |
| Lo So Shing
Beach (S) |
Hairpin
Beach (S) |
| Pui O Beach
(S) |
Middle
Bay Beach (S) |
| Lower Cheung
Sha Beach |
Repulse
Bay Beach (S) |
| Silver
Mine Bay Beach (S) |
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) |
Trio Beach
(S) |
| Clear Water
Bay Second Beach (S) |
Kiu Tsui
Beach (S) |
| Cheung
Chau Tung Wan Beach (S) |
Hap Mun
Bay Beach (S) |
Grade 2 beaches
are:
| Golden
Beach (S) |
Kadoorie Beach (S) |
| Butterfly
Beach (S) |
Cafeteria
Old Beach |
| Cafeteria
New Beach (S) |
Discovery
Bay* |
| Shek O
Beach (S) |
Silverstrand
Beach (S) |
| Deep Water
Bay Beach (S) |
South Bay
Beach (S) |
Grade 3 beach is Ma Wan
Tung Wan Beach (S).
Compared with the grading released last week, Shek O Beach, Deep
Water Bay Beach, South Bay Beach and Silverstrand Beach have been
changed from Grade 1 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.
People are 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 23, 2004
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