Twenty five years of beach monitoring in Hong Kong: A re-examination of the beach water quality classification scheme from a comparative and global perspective

Hong Kong's beach water quality classification scheme, used effectively for >25 years in protecting public health, was first established in local epidemiology studies during the late 1980s where Escherichia coli (E. coli) was identified as the most suitable faecal indicator bacteria. To review and further substantiate the scheme's robustness, a performance check was carried out to classify water quality of 37 major local beaches in Hong Kong during four bathing seasons (March–October) from 2010 to 2013. Given the enterococci and E. coli data collected, beach classification by the local scheme was found to be in line with the prominent international benchmarks recommended by the World Health Organization and the European Union. Local bacteriological studies over the last 15 years further confirmed that E. coli is the more suitable faecal indicator bacteria than enterococci in the local context. •Performance of Hong Kong's beach classification scheme was evaluated.•E. coli and enterococci data were collected at 37 beaches weekly for 4 years.•Classification by local scheme was found to be in line with overseas benchmarks.•E. coli was considered a suitable faecal indicator bacteria in local context.