(BIVN) – High Bacteria Count Advisories have been issued for two shoreline areas in South Kona.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health Clean Water Branch announced Thursday that water quality exceedances of enterococci have been measured at “2 Step” at Hōnaunau Bay, as well as at Miloliʻi. 

During routine beach monitoring, levels of 254 per 100 mL were detected at Miloliʻi, while levels of 137 per 100 mL were detected at Hōnaunau Bay. 

The advisories for both beaches were posted because “testing for enterococci indicate that potentially harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, or parasites may be present in the water,” the DOH stated. “Swimming at beaches with pollution in the water may make you ill.” 

Miloliʻi (photo from video by Hawaiʻi DLNR)

The Department of Health added:

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. 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 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 or fever. Other minor illnesses associated with swimming include ear, eye, nose and throat infections. In highly polluted water, swimmers may 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 may also have some of the same symptoms as swimming-related illnesses, including stomachache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. At any given time and place, we are constantly exposed to a variety of microorganisms that have the potential of making us ill.

Health officials say the advisories will remain in effect until water sample results no longer exceed the threshold level of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.