Brown water advisories issued for Kōloa Landing and Waimea Recreational Pier

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Aug. 5 at 10:10 a.m.

Brown water advisories were issued at Kōloa Landing and at Waimea Recreational Pier.

After storms or heavy rain, the water may contain higher-than-normal pollutant levels. The Hawai‘i Department of Health advises beachgoers to stay out of waters that appear brown or murky, even if an advisory has not been issued in the area.

The department recommends staying out of these affected waters for 48-72 hours after the rain has stopped and after the beach has received full sunshine.

The public is also advised to avoid swimming, wading in, or drinking water from any freshwater streams or pond to prevent leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria.