Press Release
Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department today (September 24) released the latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches open to the public, rating 20 as Good (Grade 1), 11 as Fair (Grade 2) and two 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) |
Kwun Yam Beach (S) |
| Hung Shing Yeh Beach (S) |
Chung Hom Kok Beach (S) |
| Lo So Shing Beach (S) |
Deep Water Bay Beach (S) |
| Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
Middle Bay Beach (S) |
| Pui O Beach (S) |
Repulse Bay Beach (S) |
| Silver Mine Bay Beach (S) |
South Bay 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) |
Hap Mun Bay Beach (S) |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach (S) |
Trio Beach(S) |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Butterfly Beach (S) |
Shek O Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria New Beach (S) |
Stanley Main Beach (S) |
| Cafeteria Old Beach |
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach (S) |
| Golden Beach (S) |
Kiu Tsui Beach (S) |
| Kadoorie Beach (S) |
Silverstrand Beach (S) |
| Discovery Bay* |
|
Grade 3 beaches are: .
| Big Wave Bay Beach (S) |
Hairpin Beach (S) |
Compared with the grading released last week, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Pui O Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 and Golden Beach from Grade 3 to Grade 2 while Kiu Tsui Beach has changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2 and Hairpin 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.
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, September 24, 2004
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