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Press Release
Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 26) released the latest grading of water quality of 36 beaches.
Fourteen beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), twenty were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and two were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
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Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach
Lo So Shing Beach
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Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Repulse Bay Beach
South Bay Beach
St. Stephen's Beach
Tong Fuk Beach
Trio Beach
Turtle Cove Beach
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Grade 2 beaches are:
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Big Wave Bay Beach
Butterfly Beach
Cafeteria New Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach
Casam Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach
Discovery Bay*
Golden Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach
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Kadoorie Beach
Kwun Yam Beach
Lido Beach
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Middle Bay Beach
Pui O Beach
Shek O Beach
Silver Mine Bay Beach
Silverstrand Beach
Stanley Main Beach
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Grade 3 beaches are:
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Approach Beach
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Castle Peak Beach
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The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. All gazetted beaches are equipped with shark nets.
A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's websites on Beach Water Quality (www.beachwq.gov.hk or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Cafeteria New Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Shek O Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to 2. Approach Beach and Castle Peak Beach have been changed from Grade 2 to 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
Under our present 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.
People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.
The EPD spokesman warned 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.
Meanwhile, the department has published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2012". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2012 and is accessible at a dedicated website at www.beachwq.gov.hk and EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, April 26, 2013
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