Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental
Protection Department today (July 30) released the latest grading
of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public, rating 18 as
Good (Grade 1), 14 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) |
Chung
Hom Kok Beach (S) |
| Hung
Shing Yeh Beach (S) |
Deep Water
Bay 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) |
| Tong Fuk
Beach (S) |
Stanley
Main Beach (S) |
| Upper Cheung
Sha Beach (S) |
St. Stephen's
Beach (S) |
| Clear Water
Bay First Beach (S) |
Hap Mun
Bay Beach (S) |
| Clear Water
Bay Second Beach (S) |
Trio Beach
(S) |
Grade 2 beaches
are:
| Cheung
Chau Tung Wan Beach (S) |
Big Wave Bay Beach (S) |
| Silver
Mine Bay Beach (S) |
Shek O
Beach (S) |
| Butterfly
Beach (S) |
South Bay
Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria
New Beach (S) |
Turtle
Cove Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria
Old Beach |
Silverstrand
Beach (S) |
| Golden
Beach (S) |
Kiu Tsui
Beach (S) |
| Kadoorie
Beach (S) |
Discovery
Bay* |
Grade 3 beach
is Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach (S).
Compared with the grading released last week, Deep Water Bay Beach
has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 while Big Wave Bay Beach,
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach, Silver Mine Bay Beach
and Turtle Cove Beach have 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 30, 2004
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