Update: High bacteria count notification canceled for West Hawai‘i beach

Update at 3:59 p.m. June 20: The Hawai‘i Department of Health canceled the high bacteria notification for Puako Middle of Lot on the Kohala Coast in West Hawai‘i. The results of water sample retesting showed that enterococci levels no longer exceed the threshold level.

Original post from 10:35 a.m. June 20: The Hawai‘i Department of Health has is notifying the public about high levels of bacteria at a Big Island beach.

The state is retesting waters at Puako Middle of Lot in Kohala. Levels of 364 per 100 mL of bacteria were recently detected during routine beach monitoring, above the acceptable threshold; however, the state Health Department is uncertain about the representativeness of the first sample.

The beach has historically met acceptable levels, and there is no known source of fecal contamination. Therefore, the state collected another sample and is retesting the site.

The Health Department will keep the public updated based on the results of retesting.

For more information about the high bacteria notification, click here. To learn about what can affect your health at the beach, click here.