Grading of beach water quality released

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 11) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay*).   
        
     Twenty-eight beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and 11 as Fair (Grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are: 
        

Big Wave Bay Beach Lido Beach
Casam Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Middle Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silverstrand Beach
Discovery Bay South Bay Beach
Golden Beach St Stephen's Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kadoorie Beach Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach Shek O Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak Beach  

 
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Big Wave Bay Beach, Casam Beach, Golden Beach and Kadoorie Beach have been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1. Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach and Shek O Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
      
     "The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.