Press
Release
Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental
Protection Department today (November 19) released the latest grading
of water quality of eight beaches open to the public. Other beaches
are closed for the winter season.
Seven beaches
are rated Good (Grade 1) and one is rated Fair (Grade 2)
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Big
Wave Bay Beach |
Deep
Water Bay Beach |
| Middle
Bay Beach |
Repulse
Bay Beach |
| Stanley
Main Beach |
Clear Water
Bay Second Beach |
| Silverstrand
Beach |
|
Grade 2 beach
is Golden Beach.
All the above beaches are equipped with shark nets.
Compared with the grading released last week, Golden Beach has changed
from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
"The change is 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 E. coli 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, November 19, 2004
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