Brown Water Advisory issued for Hilo Bay, Hamakua

A Brown Water Advisory was issued today for Hilo Bay and along the Hamakua Coast.

The state Department of Health advises beach users to stay out of water when it appears brown or murky, especially following storms or heavy rain.

After storms or heavy rain, such as those in East Hawaii earlier this week, the water may contain higher than normal pollutant levels. The DOH recommends staying out of the water for 48-72 hours (two to three days) after the rain has stopped and after the beach has received full sunshine.

The DOH also advises the public 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.

For more information, please see: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/leptospirosis/.