The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 22) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.

    Twenty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).

Grade 1 beaches are:           
 

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

                      
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Anglers' Beach	Golden Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Butterfly Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Lido Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Casam Beach	Pui O Beach
Discovery Bay	Silverstrand Beach

                      
Grade 3 beaches are:
 

Approach Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak Beach

    Compared with the grading released last week, Ting Kau Beach has been changed from Grade 2 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.

    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.

    The EPD spokesman also warned that beaches were likely to 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. 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.

Ends/Friday, September 22, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:35

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