UPDATE: High bacteria notification canceled at Onekahakaha Beach in Hilo

Update at 10:23 p.m. Dec. 10, 2025: Hawai‘i Department of Health canceled the high bacteria notification for Onekahakaha Beach in Hilo.

Water sample retesting results show that enterococci levels no longer exceed the threshold level.

Original story published at 2:56 p.m. Dec. 9, 2025: State Department of Health officials are retesting Onekahakaha Beach in Hilo after unusually high bacteria levels were detected in water by the shoreline.

According to the health department, levels of 364 per 100 mL were detected during routine beach monitoring. Since the beach has historically met acceptable thresholds, health officials are unsure of the sample, and there is no known source of fecal contamination.

The Department of Health will provide an update following the retesting.

For more information, see: http://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/viewer?eventId=1955
and https://www.epa.gov/beaches/learn-human-health-beach