The Environmental Protection Department has rated water quality at eight beaches 'good', 19 'fair' and six 'poor' for this weekend.

Compared with the grading released last week, Castle Peak Beach and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach have been upgraded from 'poor' to 'fair'.

Clear Water Bay First Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach, Stanley Main Beach and Tong Fuk Beach have been changed from 'food' to 'fair'.

The Department said the changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches

Seven gazetted beaches - Anglers' Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Casam Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach and Lido Beach - are closed to swimmers year round because of poor water quality.

Many beaches were likely to be more polluted than their grades suggested during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.