The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 27) released the latest grading of water quality of 37 gazetted beaches and one non-gazetted beach (Discovery Bay) that are open for swimming.
        
     Twenty-five beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 11 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:        

Big Wave Bay Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	South Bay Beach
Discovery Bay	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:

Approach Beach	Golden Beach
Butterfly Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Lido Beach
Casam Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Castle Peak Beach

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Anglers' Beach

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Butterfly Beach, Cafeteria New Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Golden Beach and Kadoorie Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2; and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.

     "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 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. 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, April 27, 2018
Issued at HKT 17:00

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