7 of 14 Oahu beaches tested this weekend failed water quality levels
By Paul Drewes
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HONOLULU (KITV) — More than just big surf has been hitting our shores, so have contaminants from raw sewage.
At the beach, you may pay attention to the conditions on the water like the surf or the wind, but do you think about the conditions in the water?
“I don’t see pollution. I know Hawaii is really good about being environmentally respectful and conscious. So we don’t see any garbage in the water at all,” said Dreeny Chen, who is visiting from Texas.
But what you can’t see, can be a problem.
“What we look for is Enterococcus, which is a fecal indicator bacteria,” said Arleen Velasco, the Co-coordinator for Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force.
If enterococcus is found, that is an indication that dangerous, disease-causing pathogens are also present in the water from raw sewage.
Which is why the state and the Surfrider Foundation routinely test various beaches.
Many routinely have high levels of the bacteria.
“Levels over 130 are considered bad. We tested two beaches this last time and the test said over 24,000,” added Velasco.
Those two beaches on East Oahu, were just some of the 7 out of 14 sites that failed to meet recreational health standards during testing this weekend.
Waterways carry down this raw sewage to the ocean, so proximity to river mouths make a difference in levels.
The area around the Ala Moana canoe ramp tested high, but just offshore at Ala Moana Bowls, the levels were low at the surf break.
“Winds affect the currents. So if you have strong winds, you can have stronger currents, and that just allows for better flush of bacteria,” stated Velasco.
Big surf, can also mix up the higher levels of contaminants in the water.
“It also tends to churn up more with those big swells. So yesterday, the surfers called it a little bit more itchy, but today seems to be a lot better,” said Haleiwa resident Lindsay McGill.
She spends a lot of time at the ocean, including watching her son surf and pays attention to water conditions — including cleanliness of the ocean.
“I know a lot of people in my community are definitely concerned about it,” added McGill.
That is also the case for Chen, who is visiting from Dallas with her family. Her daughters love spending time at beaches.
“So I kind of do my research before we go out. I try to look at the beach bacteria content. My kids, I’ve done that since they were little, because they had eczema. And I know that you can get bacterial infections if you have open wounds,” added Chen.
But for those who do not look ahead of time, signs are not posted at Oahu beaches when they are contaminated, and people are not kept out of the water.
While the Surfrider website shows the seven beaches that failed this weekend’s testing, the state’s Clean Water Branch only listed a Brown Water Advisory on Oahu’s North Shore.
“Honestly, the sites are kind of all over the place. I’m just being honest. For Oahu, in general, there was just maybe a few places that were monitored,” added Chen.
Some feel the state should do more testing and notification, so everyone knows about the conditions of our waters.
“It should be a high priority. It’s our tourism industry, it’s our health, it’s the health of this island for our future generations, it’s a big deal,” added Velasco.
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