Grading of beach water quality released
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Twelve beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 24 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Trio Beach
Kwun Yam Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach Kadoorie Beach
Approach Beach Lido Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach Pui O Beach
Castle Peak Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach Silverstrand Beach
* Discovery Bay St Stephen's Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hoi Mei Wan Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Grade 3 beaches are:
Butterfly Beach Ting Kau Beach
Clear Water Bay Second 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. The 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 and www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Compared with the grading released last week, South Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 and Clear Water Bay Second Beach has been changed from Grade 2 to Grade 3. Since its last grading (Grade 4) earlier this week, Butterfly Beach has been upgraded to Grade 3.
"The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches," the EPD spokesman said.
"For Butterfly Beach, we observed that temporary deterioration of water quality was largely due to heavy rain. The latest samples taken show that the water quality of the beach has improved."
Under the 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, July 15, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:00
Issued at HKT 15:00
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