Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 16) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
Thirty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), nine as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach* |
Kwun Yam Beach |
Butterfly Beach* |
Lo So Shing Beach |
Cafeteria New Beach |
Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
Cafeteria Old Beach |
Middle Bay Beach |
Castle Peak Beach |
Pui O Beach* |
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* |
Repulse Bay Beach* |
Chung Hom Kok Beach |
Shek O Beach* |
Clear Water Bay Second Beach* |
South Bay Beach* |
Deep Water Bay Beach* |
St. Stephen's Beach |
Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach [Non-gazetted beach] |
Stanley Main Beach* |
Golden Beach* |
Tai Po Lung Mei Beach* |
Hap Mun Bay Beach* |
Tong Fuk Beach |
Hung Shing Yeh Beach* |
Trio Beach |
Kadoorie Beach* |
Turtle Cove Beach |
Kiu Tsui Beach |
Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach* |
Lido Beach* |
Approach Beach |
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* |
Casam Beach* |
Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
Clear Water Bay First Beach |
Silverstrand Beach* |
Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
Grade 3 beach is:
Ting Kau Beach* |
Compared with the grading released last week, Hoi Mei Wan Beach has been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Ting Kau 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 tropical cyclone 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. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).
Note 1: Lifesaving services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from April 1. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Special Announcement (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/beach/index.html).
Note 2: This refers to Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach which has no lifesaving service.
HKSAR Government welcomes court's decision to dismiss Chow Hang Tung's application for judicial review on clothing policy for persons in custody
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government welcomes the judgment handed down by the Court of First Instance of the High Court today (January 13) to dismiss Chow Hang Tung's application for judicial review on the clothing policy for persons in custody (PICs).
The court judgment pointed out that the current clothing policy for PICs, including the requirement for female PICs to wear trousers in summer daytime, was formulated by the Correctional Services Department (CSD) as authorised by the Prison Rules. The Court was satisfied that the CSD had the expertise and experience in the relevant context, and that it had carefully considered various factors, taken into account of professional opinion when making the decision, as well as reviewed the policy continuously. The Court ruled that Chow Hang Tung had failed to demonstrate that the current policy constituted less favourable treatment of a particular gender. The Court pointed out that there was currently no factual evidence to support any assertion that there was widespread concern about the health effects of wearing trousers in summer. In addition, the rule was not absolute, but instead allowed individual PICs to apply for exceptional arrangements in special circumstances. At the same time, the Court also rejected Chow Hang Tung's assertion that she had requested to the CSD in July and August 2024 to wear shorts and had been refused.
A spokesman for the Security Bureau said, "The ruling of the Court of First Instance confirmed that the CSD's approach is reasonable, justified and lawful. According to Rule 26 of the Prison Rules, the CSD must provide every PIC with a uniform that meets a scale imposed by the Commissioner of Correctional Services. Over the years, the CSD had appointed task groups from time to time to review the clothing arrangements of PICs. These reviews gave ample consideration to numerous factors, including the type of correctional institutions, PICs' varying daily routines and activities involved, the need for thermal, physical and psychological comfort for PICs of different genders, privacy and decency of PICs and the security, good order and discipline of the prison, so as to continuously refine clothing arrangements according to the prevailing circumstances."
The spokesman stated, "Chow Hang Tung's assertion that she requested to wear shorts in summer and was rejected by the CSD is entirely inconsistent with the facts and was rejected by the Court. Besides, the current clothing policy for PICs already provides a degree of flexibility. For example, a PIC may make an application to wear other clothing on medical or non-medical grounds to the CSD, and the CSD would make appropriate arrangements having considered the actual circumstances and relevant factors."
The CSD will continue to impartially implement the relevant rules of the Prison Rules in accordance with the law and commit to providing a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment.
Source: AI-found images
