Brown Water Advisory for Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi

Brown water advisory. Map courtesy state Department of Health/Google maps.

By Wendy Osher

There is a brown water advisory in effect for Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi due to flood and storm water runoff from heavy rains in recent days.

State Health Department officials say the conditions can be hazardous due to possible pesticides, fecal matter, pathogens, and chemicals associated with flood debris.

The advisory also notes that turbid water runoff is 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.