Bacteria threshold exceedance advisory issued at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park in Kaʻū

Hawai‘i Department of Health notify the public that a bacteria threshold exceedance advisory is in effect for waters at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park because of higher-than-normal levels of enterococci bacteria.

Health officials report levels of the fecal bacteria measured at 428 per 100 mL during recent routine water monitoring at the beach park.

The advisory is posted at the beach park on the southeast coastline of Kaʻū and it will remain in effect until results of retesting the water show it no longer exceeds the acceptable threshold of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.

High levels of enterococci indicate potentially harmful microorganisms — such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa or parasites — could be present in the water.

Swimming at beaches with polluted waters — usually while swimming — can cause people to become ill, especially children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

Fortunately, while swimming-related illnesses can be unpleasant, they usually are not very serious, requiring little or no treatment or get better quickly and have no long-term health consequences.

The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by fecal pathogens is gastroenteritis.

It occurs in a variety of forms that can have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Stomachache.
• Diarrhea.
• Headache.
• Fever.

Other minor illnesses associated with swimming in polluted waters include ear, eye, nose and throat infections.

In highly polluted water, swimmers could occasionally be exposed to even more serious diseases.

Not all illnesses from a day at the beach are caused by swimming in polluted waters.

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.

At any given time and place, people are constantly exposed to a variety of microorganisms that have the potential of causing illness.

The state Department of Health Clean Water Branch provides beach notification for waters around the islands through its beach monitoring program.

Visit the Clean Water Branch website and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website for additional information.