This is the first edition of our weekly water quality report. Every week, we compile DOH advisories, bacteria test results, USGS stream gauge data, sewage spill notifications, and weather patterns into a single picture of what is happening in Hawaii’s ocean water. This week: 15 active advisories statewide, a persistent North Shore bacteria problem now stretching past two weeks, a fresh wave of advisories on Maui, and an unusually clean week for both the Big Island and Kauaʻi.
The biggest story on Oʻahu this week is the North Shore. Haleiwa Beach Park and Kawaihapai (Mokuleia) both have active bacteria advisories showing enterococci levels at 288 per 100mL — more than double the DOH safe swimming threshold of 130. What makes this alarming is the timeline: these advisories have been active since March 31. That is over two weeks of sustained elevated bacteria on the North Shore.
Two weeks is unusual. Most bacteria advisories resolve within three to seven days once the source of contamination clears. When levels stay elevated this long, it typically indicates a persistent contamination source — a leaking sewage system, a chronic agricultural runoff path, or a stream carrying upstream contamination that has not been addressed. We are watching this closely.
If you are planning to surf or swim on the North Shore, check the Pipeline/Ehukai area and Turtle Bay as alternatives — those areas are not currently under advisory. But understand that the North Shore is not a sealed compartment. Currents move water along the coast, and contamination at Haleiwa can affect neighboring beaches.
We monitor USGS stream gauges across Oʻahu because they tell a story the DOH advisories do not. Stream flow is a leading indicator — when streams run high, they are carrying runoff, sediment, and contamination directly to the coast. This week, the numbers are striking:
This is exactly why we track stream gauges independently. The DOH currently shows no alerts for Kailua. But Makawao Stream running at 15 times normal flow means significant contamination is reaching the coast. The advisory system only captures what gets tested — and when it rains hard, the DOH pauses routine testing. Our USGS stream data fills that gap.
Maui had a rough week. On April 13, the DOH issued four new advisories in a single day — and two of them hit major tourist areas. Here is what happened:
Where on Maui is clear? As of this report, Wailea, Makena (Big Beach), and Kapalua Bay have no active advisories. These tend to recover faster from rain events due to their geography — Wailea and Makena sit on the dry south side with less stream runoff, and Kapalua is a sheltered bay. That said, always check our Maui beach page for live status before heading out.
The Big Island is the best-looking island in our data this week. The Ninole area advisory was cleared, and with no new rain events of concern, the entire coastline is operating without DOH warnings. The Kona coast in particular — Hapuna, Mauna Kea Beach, and the Kohala Coast resorts — sits on the dry leeward side and rarely sees contamination from runoff. The Hilo side gets more rain, but even there, conditions are clean this week.
If you have flexibility in your island plans and water quality is a priority, the Big Island is the strongest pick right now.
Good news for Kauaʻi visitors. The island had two active advisories heading into this week — a sewage spill near Waimea and an island-wide brown water advisory — and both have been officially cancelled. That is noteworthy because Kauaʻi is the wettest of the main Hawaiian islands and typically leads the state in brown water advisory frequency.
Poipu Beach on the south shore and Anini Beach on the north shore are solid choices. One caveat: Kalapaki Beach near Lihue has a chronic contamination problem from Nawiliwili Stream — it has failed 100% of bacteria tests since 2016 regardless of rain. No advisory is needed to tell you that one deserves extra caution.
If you are arriving in Hawaii this week and you have island flexibility, the data points clearly to the Big Island and Kauaʻi as the cleanest options for ocean swimming right now. Both have zero active advisories.
On Maui, avoid Kihei and Kaʻanapali until the new advisories clear — head to Wailea, Makena, or Kapalua instead. On Oʻahu, avoid the North Shore (Haleiwa, Mokuleia), be cautious near any stream mouth, and check Waikiki status on our site before heading to the beach — the Ala Wai Canal is always the wild card after heavy rain.
Regardless of what island you are visiting, the baseline rule remains: wait at least 72 hours after heavy rain before swimming. That applies even if no advisory is posted. The DOH only monitors 57 of 300+ beaches — so the absence of an advisory does not mean the absence of contamination. Stay out of brown or murky water. If a stream or river is flowing into the ocean at your beach, consider moving down the coast. And after any heavy rain, check our homepage before you go.
We built Safe to Swim Hawaii because the official system has real gaps. The Hawaii Department of Health only routinely tests about 57 of the stateʻs 300+ beaches. When brown water advisories are active, they pause routine testing — meaning the exact time you most need data is when the least data is available. Here is what we pull from:
We combine these sources into a single picture for every beach we cover. The homepage shows live advisory status for all islands. Individual beach pages show historical risk grades, recent test results, and nearby stream conditions. We update continuously and we do not charge for access.
We are not affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Health or any government agency. We are an independent project that exists because we think people deserve more information about the water they swim in — especially when the official system only covers a fraction of the beaches visitors actually use.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Safe to Swim Hawaii is an independent passion project — it is not affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Health or any government agency. Water quality information in this report is based on publicly available data from the DOH, USGS, NOAA, NDBC, and NWS. Conditions change rapidly. Data in this report reflects conditions observed during the week of April 14, 2026 and may not reflect current conditions.
Always verify current water quality conditions with the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch before entering the water. This report is for informational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for any swimming decisions.
When in doubt, don't go out.