Kauai county officials warned the public today to stay out of Kikiaola Harbor after about 140,000 gallons of wastewater spilled on Friday from the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The county’s Department of Public Works attributes the spill to “high flows from heavy rain and high infiltration and inflow from the storm,” a news release said.

County officials said the spill was “isolated to overflow from the effluent tank after passing through the biological treatment process and UV disinfection.”

The spill is believed to have reached Kikiaola Harbor on the island’s southwest coast, they said.

The county posted warning signs of the dangers of potential exposure to the wastewater, and the signs will remain up until the Department of Health gives clearance that the waters are safe, officials said. The Wastewater Management Division is working to repair the infiltration and inflow problem.