KAILUA-KONA — A U.S. Coast Guard investigator identified a brownish slick floating offshore of Kahaluu Beach Park as possibly algae, authorities said Thursday afternoon.
KAILUA-KONA — A U.S. Coast Guard investigator identified a brownish slick floating offshore of Kahaluu Beach Park as possibly algae, authorities said Thursday afternoon.
The state Department of Health posted signs of high bacteria levels at the beach Tuesday. Officials have taken samples of the water every day since.
The Coast Guard and the DOH were at the beach Thursday taking samples of the material that appeared in the water. The Coast Guard investigator determined is was not oil.
Janice Okubo, Health Department spokeswoman, said officials at the Clean Water Branch think the slick is an organic matter. The samples taken Thursday will be examined in a lab to determine what it is.
Myron Honda, environmental health specialist with the Clean Water Branch, said enterococci levels at Kahaluu are just more than the 130 milliliters threshold at 150 milliliters.
He said bacteria levels typically rise after a heavy rain because of the runoff from streams, but levels usually drop quickly.
Okubo said the plan is for DOH inspectors to return to the beach today to take more samples, ensure levels are normal and possibly remove advisory signs.
A beach advisory was also issued at Keaukaha Beach Park in Hilo, where bacteria levels were recorded at 254 milliliters.
Email Tiffany Demasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.