Water at Waikiki’s white sand beach in Honolulu was being tested on Wednesday for bacteria following a massive sewage spill that prompted the closure of the popular tourist destination.
Hawaii News Now reported that on Monday, heavy rains from Tropical Storm Kilo caused 500,000 gallons of raw sewage to flow out of manholes and into storm drains leading to the ocean. The rains also flooded the Honolulu Zoo.
The Associated Press noted that officials said Waikiki Beach was not closed due to the sewage spill but as a precaution and because of the zoo water flowing out of the storm drains.
"Would you rather swim with human feces or possibly with animal feces," said Shayne Enright, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Emergency Services.
Lifeguards have been warning beachgoers to stay out of the water because of the potential for contamination and the heavy rainfall for the islands may not be over yet. Another tropical storm named Ignacio is expected to become a hurricane by Thursday.
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