Grading of beach water quality released
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Twenty-four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 14 as Fair (Grade 2) and two as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
| Big Wave Bay Beach* | Middle Bay Beach |
| Cafeteria New Beach | Pui O Beach* |
| Cafeteria Old Beach | Repulse Bay Beach* |
| Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* | Shek O Beach* |
| Chung Hom Kok Beach | South Bay Beach |
| Clear Water Bay Second Beach* | St Stephen's Beach |
| Deep Water Bay Beach* | Stanley Main Beach* |
| Hap Mun Bay Beach* | Tai Po Lung Mei 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 |
Grade 2 beaches are:
| Anglers' Beach | Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
| Approach Beach | Kadoorie Beach |
| Butterfly Beach* | Lido Beach* |
| Casam Beach* | Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
| Clear Water Bay First Beach | Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
| Discovery Bay | Silverstrand Beach* |
| Golden Beach* | Ting Kau Beach |
Grade 3 beaches are:
| Castle Peak Beach | Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* |
Compared with the grading released last week, Anglers' Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Butterfly Beach, Discovery Bay, Golden Beach and Kadoorie Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Castle Peak Beach 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, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), 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. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 18 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from April 1.
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
Ends/Friday, April 28, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:00
Issued at HKT 16:00
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