When we learned that Nihi Kai Villas in Poipu was at the center of a Legionnaires’ disease investigation, it hit close to home. Jeff (your Beat of Hawaii editor) formerly owned and lived at this Kauai condo resort, and we were there again last month. Today, two visitors who stayed there recently were diagnosed with severe pneumonia and tests detected Legionella bacteria in the property’s water systems.
The Hawaii Department of Health announced the investigation Nov. 4, warning of a potential risk of continued exposure to guests and residents. The precise source of the infections remains under investigation. The department has not publicly identified which parts of the Nihi Kai Villas are affected or what remedial work has been carried out.
We knew about Nihi Kai Villas long before this survey.
Jeff owned a condo at Nihi Kai Villas after Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in the 1990s. The property was a part of his life for years. We recalled this story during our commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Iniki, including Rob’s memories of arriving on Kauai about a month after the hurricane and its extraordinary destruction.
Living in the resort town of Kauai also meant dealing with things that vacationers rarely had to think about. Around 2000, Jeff remembers a large special assessment for a new septic system required. Condo owners suddenly had to pay a lot of money for major infrastructure work, beyond their regular maintenance costs. It’s one of the experiences that has stuck with him during his years of ownership.
We also found documentation of further improvements. In 2021, Shioi Construction completed a $4.8 million exterior renovation involving roofing, stairs, railings and other construction work. The following year, the Kauai Planning Commission approved permits to replace and upgrade the property’s wastewater treatment plant, with the Nihi Kai Villas Apartment Owners Association identified as the applicant.
These projects involved exterior infrastructure and wastewater, issues separate from the building water systems involved in the current Legionella investigation. They document substantial investments in the property over the years, but do not establish the condition of its water distribution systems today.
Our most recent visit was in October, when we passed by Nihi Kai Villas while preparing our report on the stark differences in hurricane recovery around Poipu. We looked at properties damaged by Hurricane Lowell, some severely, while others appeared largely intact. The Nihi Kai Villas appeared normal from the outside, without the significant visible damage we saw elsewhere on the South Shore of Kauai.
This observation was about exterior storm damage, not plumbing. No established link exists between Hurricane Lowell and the Legionella findings.
What the investigation has revealed so far.
The DOH has confirmed two cases of Legionnaires’ disease involving visitors from outside of Hawaii who stayed at Nihi Kai Villas. On October 13, the ministry received water test results from the property showing Legionella bacteria in its water systems.
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially serious form of pneumonia that can be contracted by inhaling contaminated water droplets. Shower heads, faucets, spas, and large plumbing systems are some of the places bacteria can grow. The findings indicate a potential exposure risk at Nihi Kai Villas, although investigators have not established exactly where any of the visitors became infected.
According to Hawaii’s official condominium registration, Nihi Kai Villas consists of eight two-story buildings containing 70 individual units. The resort dates from the late 1970s and occupies nearly six acres near Brennecke Beach.
Since the property spans multiple buildings, the locations of positive water samples could be particularly relevant. The Department of Health has not identified which buildings, units or water fixtures tested positive, and we do not yet know if the bacteria was found in isolated locations or in shared parts of the water systems.
The department says it is working with Nihi Kai Villas to address the potential health risk. Its announcement does not specify what corrective actions have already been carried out, whether follow-up water testing has taken place or whether any units or facilities may be restricted.
The three weeks between testing and public warning.
The DOH received the positive water test results on October 13, while the public announcement took place on November 4, 22 days later. The announcement does not explain when the property management or the AOAO first became aware of the findings, what work subsequently began, or when they informed the guests and owners.
We do not know if any notifications or corrective actions were already underway during these three weeks. The date the DOH received the results also does not establish when the samples were collected or when the property first became aware of the positive results.
Nihi Kai Villas is a typical condominium development, not a conventional single-property hotel. Individual owners have their own accommodations, while the AOAO association provides the management structure for shared assets and common responsibilities. This arrangement does not reveal how the response is coordinated or how information about the investigation reaches residents, property owners and visitors.
The review period is also much longer. The DOH wants to hear from people who developed pneumonia within two weeks of staying at Nihi Kai Villas at any time since January 2025, and has informed public health agencies nationwide to request reports on any additional cases involving travelers from Hawaii.
Because visitors may develop symptoms after returning home, identifying potential links between illnesses and a particular accommodation may take time. The date of January 2025 does not establish that Legionella has been present continuously since then or that other illnesses have occurred during this period.
Could the property be subject to restrictions or closure?
Kauai has faced a similar investigation before. In June 2016, two confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease were linked to stays at the WorldMark Kapaa Shore Resort, where bacteria was detected in two units. Wyndham temporarily closed this property and transferred guests while corrective actions were completed. We later discussed this investigation in our coverage of Legionnaires’ cases at the Grand Islander in Waikiki.
There is no indication what Nihi Kai Villas will face in terms of remediation. Depending on the circumstances, responses to Legionella contamination may include restrictions on particular fixtures, individual units, or buildings while remediation and testing are carried out.
If we had a reservation at Nihi Kai Villas, we would want specific information before deciding what to do. Have legionella been detected in the building where we will be staying? What remedial work has been done, are follow-up test results available, and has the Department of Health specifically recommended any precautions or restrictions? These are reasonable questions, especially since public information leaves the current status of the property uncertain.
What former guests of Nihi Kai Villas need to know.
The DOH advises anyone who has stayed at Nihi Kai Villas in the previous two weeks and develops symptoms consistent with Legionnaires’ disease to seek medical attention and contact its Disease Outbreak Control Division. Anyone who has developed pneumonia within two weeks of their stay since January 2025 should also contact the department.
Symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after exposure and may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache and muscle pain. People aged 50 and over, current or former smokers, as well as those with weakened immune systems or suffering from certain chronic illnesses, face higher risks. Legionnaires’ disease is not generally spread from person to person and the DOH says the risk to the general public is low.
The disease is treated with antibiotics. Anyone requiring care after a recent stay should inform their doctor of potential exposure. You can reach the Hawaii Department of Health’s Disease Outbreak Control Division at 808-586-4586.
By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.
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