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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (October 28) released the latest grading of water quality for 37 beaches.
Thirty-four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and three were rated as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Butterfly Beach Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Casam Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Middle Bay Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Pui O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Shek O 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
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kadoorie Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Approach Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach
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 website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, Hoi Mei Wan Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to 1. Approach Beach was upgraded to Grade 2 from its last grading (Grade 4) this Wednesday (October 26).
The change in grading for Hoi Mei Wan Beach is generally within the normal range of fluctuation of bacteriological water quality.
"For Approach Beach, we observed temporary deterioration of water quality, but the latest sample obtained on Wednesday, October 26, shows that the beach water quality has returned to normal. Our investigation did not show any specific pollution sources, and we will continue to monitor this beach regularly," 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.
Ends/Friday, October 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:06
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