Authorities are investigating a significant release of 607,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater into Hawaii's Puhi Bay, occurring without chlorine disinfection between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. last Friday. Federal and state environmental agencies are leading the probe to determine the cause and prevent future incidents. Hawaii County, under an EPA consent order, must urgently upgrade its sewage plant due to ongoing accidental discharges.

Puhi Bay's shoreline hosts a summer campground used by Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries, many of whom expressed health concerns after learning about high bacterial levels through social media. The Department of Health responded by posting warning signs at 2 p.m., advising against swimming or fishing due to sewage contamination potentially causing illness.

Residents, like lifelong Keaukaha resident Sheralyn Kalua, witnessed county workers placing warning signs by mid-afternoon, reflecting frustration over recurring incidents dating back to childhood. Such events have led to penalties for Hawaii County since 2016 from the EPA and state Department of Health, citing equipment deficiencies and unauthorized wastewater discharges into the ocean.