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BRUCE ASATO / AUG. 24, 2014
A view of Hanauma Bay from the access road that leads to the beach. The state Department of Health issued a high bacteria advisory, Thursday, for Hanauma Bay.
Hanauma Bay is closed this morning after the state detected elevated levels of enterococci at the beach.
The city had closed the beach Thursday afternoon after the state Department of Health’s Clean Water Branch detected enterococci levels at 137 per 100 milliliters in the water. The threshold level is 130 enterococci per 100 milliliters.
Nathan Serota, spokesman of the city Department of Parks & Recreation, said the beach remains closed at this time. The scenic lookout and parking lot, however, is open to the public.
The health department returned to the bay this morning to collect water samples at the beach. “We are awaiting the results from that assessment to determine if the beach at the Nature Preserve can safely reopen to the public,” Serota said in an e-mailed statement.
Signs have been posted at the beach warning the public of the elevated bacterial levels after the health department issued a high bacteria advisory Thursday.
“Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely populations to develop illnesses or infections after coming into contact with polluted water, usually while swimming,” the advisory said.
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