(BIVN) – A Brown Water Advisory has been issued for a long stretch of East Hawaiʻi coastline, from Hilo Bay, north along the Hāmākua coast, to ʻUpolu point in North Kohala.

From the Hawaiʻi Health Department’s Clean Water Branch:

Recent heavy rain has resulted in stormwater runoff entering into coastal waters. The public is advised to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewer, manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals, and associated flood debris. Not all coastal areas may be impacted by runoff, however, if the water is brown stay out. Continue to practice good personal hygiene and follow-up with your primary care physician if you have any health concerns.

On the Kona side of Hawaiʻi island, there remains a High Bacteria Count Advisory at Holoholokai Beach Park. On August 17, health officials said a water quality exceedance of enterococci – with levels of 164 per 100 mL – were detected during routine beach monitoring.

“Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely populations to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming,” the health advisory stated. “Fortunately, while swimming-related illnesses can be unpleasant, they are usually not very serious – they require little or no treatment or get better quickly upon treatment, and they have no long-term health effects.”

The advisory posted at Holoholokai Beach Park will remain in effect, officials say, until water sample results no longer exceed the threshold level of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.