Beach Water Quality
How have Sai Kung's beaches rated over the past 20 years? Is the water quality changing?
In 1986, our government recognized the deteriorating water quality of Hong Kong's beaches and, as the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) took over the monitoring program at that time, various improvement measures were put into place. In its report on these last two decades, the Sai Kung beaches that are monitored turn out to be mostly star performers.
Since 1999, compliance with the water quality objectives (WQO) at all of Hong Kong's monitored beaches has been over 80%, despite a dramatic drop in WQO in the mid 1990s. This consistent figure is "a clear indication of genuine long-term improvement in water quality," according to the EPD. Of the six monitored beaches in Sai Kung five have met the WQO throughout the past 20 years and one has done so for the last 10 years.
The popular Hap Mun and Kiu Tsui (Sharp Island) beaches have steadfastly remained in the highest grading – Good – over the last two decades. Clearwater Bay 1st and 2nd and Trio beaches improved from Fair to Good status but Silverstrand still has a way to go to reach a better standing. The public sewer system was only extended to Silverstrand in 2001, the EPD report says, and although the trend in connection to the sewer is increasing, 50% of residents there are still using septic tanks.
Water quality has four gradings (Good, Fair, Poor and Very Poor), according to the number of E. coli bacteria present, and these are used for each analysis and for the beaches' overall annual status. Only Good and Fair gradings meet the WQO. All gazetted beaches are tested at least tree times a month from March to October and once a month at other times. Those beaches such as Clearwater Bay 2nd and Silverstrand that are officially open year round are tested three times every month.
SK Monitored Beaches |
1986 Water Quality |
1996 Water Quality |
2005 Water Quality |
Clearwater Bay 1st |
Fair |
Fair |
Good |
| Clearwater Bay 2nd | Fair |
Fair |
Good |
| Hap Mun | Good |
Good |
Good |
| Kiu Tsui (Sharp Is) | Good |
Good |
Good |
| Silverstrand | Poor |
Fair |
Fair |
| Trio | Fair |
Good |
Good |
Adapted from the EPD's 20 Years of Monitoring Beach Quality report, 2005.