***************************************
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 22) released the latest grading of water quality of 39 beaches.
Twenty-three beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 were rated as Fair (Grade 2) and two were rated as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Kiu Tsui Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Silverstrand Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach South Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach St Stephen's Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Stanley Main Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
* Discovery Bay Trio Beach
Golden Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Butterfly Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach Middle Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach Pui O Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Kadoorie Beach Shek O Beach
Lido Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Approach Beach Ting Kau 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 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, Castle Peak Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, Middle Bay Beach, Pui O Beach, Repulse Bay Beach and Shek O Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2. Approach Beach and Ting Kau Beach have been upgraded to Grade 3 since their last grading (Grade 4) this Wednesday (May 20).
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," an EPD spokesman said.
"For Approach Beach and Ting Kau Beach, we observed temporary deterioration of water quality, which was largely due to heavy rain. The latest samples taken show that the water quality of the beaches has improved. We will continue to monitor these beaches regularly."
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, May 22, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:01
NNNN
