On Tuesday, March 17, the Hawaiʻi Department of Health issued a brown water advisory for Kahe Point Beach Park on Oʻahu, better known to locals and visitors as Electric Beach, telling people to steer clear of ocean water that looks brown or murky after storms or heavy rain. The warning is meant to cut down on illnesses linked to storm runoff, which can wash bacteria and other contaminants into the nearshore waters that usually draw snorkelers by the carload.
A #BrownWaterAdvisory has been issued at Kahe on Oʻahu. The @HawaiiDOH advises beach users to stay out of waters when the water appears brown or murky, especially following storms or heavy rain.
— Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (@HawaiiDOH) March 17, 2026
For more information: https://t.co/2qXE0f2LxR https://t.co/VVYtQZIwJf
What the DOH advisory says
The state’s Clean Water Branch is urging people to stay out of ocean areas where the water looks brown or cloudy and to wait 48 to 72 hours after heavy rain, and until the beach has had full sun again, before hopping back in, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Clean Water Branch. The department keeps an online system with current beach advisories and recent sampling results so beachgoers can see if a specific shoreline spot is still under a warning before packing the fins and mask.
Why Kahe matters
Kahe Point, widely known as Electric Beach, is one of Oʻahu’s busier snorkeling hangouts on the leeward coast, drawing a steady mix of locals and tourists. The City and County of Honolulu put up a dedicated lifeguard tower there in 2023, Tower 40, after rising concerns about safety at the site, according to the Honolulu Star‑Advertiser.
How to stay safe
Health officials also advise staying out of freshwater streams, drainage canals and ponds during and after storms, since those flows can carry bacteria that trigger illnesses such as leptospirosis. Similar brown water advisories have popped up across the islands after recent storm systems, a trend local outlets have been charting, including reporting by Kauaʻi Now. Anyone who develops vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or skin or ear infections after being in the ocean is urged to seek medical care and let providers know about the recent ocean exposure.
To find out if the Kahe advisory is still active, check the DOH Clean Water Branch beach‑advisory map or the department’s alert posted on X at Hawaiʻi State Department of Health on X. Lifeguards on duty can also give an update on current conditions. When in doubt, sit tight on the sand until the water clears and the advisory period is over.
