Brown Water Advisory Issued for Honokahua Bay

Brown water at Honokahua. Photo courtesy state Department of Health.

By Wendy Osher

A brown water advisory has been issued for Honokahua Bay in West Maui.  This area includes DT Fleming Beach Park in Kapalua.

Officials with the state Department of Health issued the advisory on Tuesday, July 16, 2014, saying backed up storm water broke through a sand berm at the Honokahua Stream mouth, and discharged turbid waters into the bay.

The public is advised to stay out of flood waters and storm water runoff.

The conditions can be hazardous due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewer manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals, and associated flood debris.

Image courtesy State of Hawaiʻi, Department of Health.

Turbid water runoff is also known to attract sharks due to possible dead animals being washed into the ocean and murky conditions.

If coastal waters are brown, the health department advises the public to stay out.