What is the fecal bacteria in Hawaii?

The turquoise waters of Hawaii often look pristine, but looks can be deceiving. Some of Hawaii's beaches are polluted regularly with enterococcus bacteria, an indicator that there's fecal material in the water. It's known to cause gastroenteritis and eye, ear, nose or throat infections.



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Some cities also have joint sewer and stormwater systems that can overflow—this leads to “a mixture of raw, untreated sewage and stormwater” that can sometimes flow onto recreational beaches, said Rumpler. Runoff water from large farms can sometimes also contaminate beaches, he added, as can feces from wildlife.

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Beneath the ocean's beautiful blue surface, conditions can be unpredictable and even dangerous. Ocean safety experts recommend checking in with lifeguards before you enter the water - they'll be happy to tell you about potential hazards like rip currents, hidden rocks and shorebreaks.

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While it is nice to swim in the pool below the falls, we don't recommend swimming directly under the waterfall. The pressure of the water can be intense, and sometimes rocks and other debris can come over the falls without warning and cause injury.

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Eighty-four percent of Gulf Coast beaches, 70% of West Coast beaches, and 63% of the Great Lakes reached these potentially unsafe levels at least once in 2022.

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DON'T: Don't enter the water if you have any open wounds or are bleeding in any way, including females on their monthly period. Sharks can detect blood and body fluids in extremely small concentrations. Don't enter the water if it is murky, cloudy, polluted from run-off or has poor visibility for any reason.

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Hawaii is one of the safest tropical destinations on the planet – but it's a tropical destination, and if you've never been to the tropics you might be wondering what you need to watch out for in order to have a safe Hawaiian vacation. The perils can be summed up in a couple of words: Sun. Nature.

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There are about forty species of sharks that occur in Hawaiian waters, ranging in size from the deep-water pygmy shark (about 8 inches) to the whale shark (up to 50 feet or more). About eight species are somewhat common in nearshore waters.

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