Hawaiian Islands under brown water advisory following severe weekend weather

A statewide brown water advisory has been issued after severe weather brought heavy rain, high surf and winds throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health advises beachgoers to stay out of the water when it appears brown or murky, especially after storms or heavy rain. After storms or heavy rain, the water may contain higher-than-normal pollutant levels, according to an alert from the state department.

The department recommends staying out of the water for 48-72 hours after the rain has stopped and after the beach has received full sunshine.

The Department of Health advises the public to avoid swimming, wading in, or drinking water from any freshwater stream or pond to prevent leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria. For more information, see: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/cwb/#!/event/1972/details/view.