State health officials advise the public about a water quality exceedance of enterococci bacteria, a fecal bacteria, at Kalapakī Beach Park on Kaua‘i.
Levels of 271 per 100 mL were detected during routine beach monitoring provided regularly by Hawai‘i Department of Health Clean Water Branch through its beach program.
The advisory was posted because testing for enterococci indicates that potentially harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa or parasites could be present in the water. Swimming at beaches with pollution in the water can make beachgoers ill.
This advisory will remain in effect until water sample results no longer exceed the threshold level of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.
Children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are most likely to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming.
Fortunately, swimming-related illnesses are usually not very serious despite being unpleasant. They require little or no treatment or get better quickly upon treatment. They also have no long-term health effects.
The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by fecal pathogens is gastroenteritis, which occurs in a variety of forms that can have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Stomachache.
- Diarrhea.
- Headache or fever.
Other minor illnesses associated with swimming include ear, eye, nose and throat infections. In highly polluted water, swimmers can occasionally be exposed to more serious diseases.
Not all illnesses from a day at the beach are from swimming.
Food poisoning from improperly refrigerated picnic lunches also can have some of the same symptoms as swimming-related illnesses, including stomachache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Beachgoers at any given time and place are constantly exposed to a variety of microorganisms with the potential of causing illness.
Click here for additional information about the advisory.
Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website for additional information about possible illnesses related to visiting the beach.
