A Reporting Tool For Suspected Waterborne Illnesses & Infections
Why Reporting Matters
Cesspools leak over 52 million gallons of raw sewage daily into our groundwater, streams, and nearshore waters and are a major threat to public health across Hawai'i. Raw sewage is enriched in harmful pathogens that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and painful skin infections. It is also a hotspot of antibiotic resistant bacteria, one of the largest human health threats of our time, and can share these genes with environmental bacteria leading to new and potentially devastating forms of antibiotic resistance."
However, only the most serious illnesses are reported to the Hawaii Department of Health leading to underreporting of suspected waterborne illnesses and infections. In response, WAI has created the SeaSick reporting tool to help address this data gap.
Seasick Aims
Seasick aims to collect information on where are people getting sick in Hawai'i. Our overarching goal is to develop a map from survey responses to identify hotspots where people are contracting waterborne illnesses and infections when they recreate in the ocean. In turn, this data will be shared with State officials to guide future epidemiological studies and stress the need for cesspool conversions to protect public health.
Privacy & Safety Notes
Contact us
Your privacy and safety are important to us. Any information you provide through SeaSick is voluntary, and you may choose whether or not to include your name. Names will only be used if provided. The information collected is used solely to help identify areas where people may be experiencing waterborne illnesses in Hawai‘i. Data is aggregated and shared with state officials and public health researchers to guide future studies and highlight the urgent need for cesspool conversions. Individual identities will not be shared without your consent.
Seasick Heat Map
We’re developing an interactive heat mapping tool to visualize reported waterborne illnesses across Hawai‘i. This tool will help identify hotspots, track trends, and inform public health efforts. We anticipate the heat map will be live and accessible by late 2025.
Stay connected as we continue this important work. If you have questions, personal stories to share or want to get involved? Reach out anytime via email to christina@waicleanwater.org or nic@waicleanwater.org.