| Press
Release
Grading
of beach water quality released
The Environmental
Protection Department today (August 20) 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) |
Chung
Hom Kok Beach (S) |
| Kwun
Yam Beach (S) |
Deep Water
Bay Beach (S) |
| Hung Shing
Yeh Beach (S) |
Hairpin
Beach (S) |
| Lo So Shing
Beach (S) |
Middle
Bay Beach (S) |
| Lower Cheung
Sha Beach |
Repulse
Bay Beach (S) |
| Tong Fuk
Beach (S) |
South Bay
Beach (S) |
| Upper Cheung
Sha Beach (S) |
Stanley
Main Beach (S) |
| Clear Water
Bay First Beach (S) |
St. Stephen's
Beach (S) |
| Clear Water
Bay Second Beach (S) |
Turtle
Cove Beach (S) |
| Hap Mun
Bay Beach (S) |
Discovery
Bay* |
| Trio Beach(S) |
|
Grade 2 beaches
are:
| Pui
O Beach (S) |
Big
Wave Bay Beach (S) |
| Silver
Mine Bay Beach (S) |
Shek O
Beach (S) |
| Butterfly
Beach (S) |
Kiu Tsui
Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria
New Beach (S) |
Silverstrand
Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria
Old Beach |
Kadoorie
Beach (S) |
| Golden Beach
(S) |
Ma Wan
Tung Wan Beach (S) |
Compared with
the grading released last week, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach has been upgraded
from Grade 3 to Grade 2 while Pui O Beach has 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, August 20, 2004
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