KAAAWA, Hawaii -- City and state crews were out in force on Monday to assess the flood damage from last week and pump out areas still underwater.

The biggest problem on Monday was the standing water, water polluted from animal waste and cesspools. Officials fear that if the water is left alone it could breed more bacteria.

One spot on Puakenikeni Road in Kaaawa has given crews trouble since Saturday.

"There's no way the water can escape because of the way the road is built and this is people's back yard, and it's important for us to remove the water because of the chance of bacteria," city worker Florendo Juan said.

City crews received permission from the state Department of Health to pump the water directly into the ocean.

Officials had posted signs warning of the hazard where the dirty runoff was turning a beautiful stretch of turquoise water into a brown mess.

The Hawaii Department of Health has issued a warning to physicians to be attentive of possible cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease commonly transmitted through infected water.

Windward Oahu residents are especially urged to be careful after last week's flooding.

The disease can spread through contact with open cuts as well as the mouth, nose and eyes.

Symptoms of the disease include high fever, chills and vomiting.

Those involved in the clean-up effort are encouraged to avoid murky waters and mud. Wearing protective equipment like rubber gloves and boots can prevent infection.

The cleanup requires a lot of coordination between various city departments and state agencies.

"We're constantly on the phone or we've got representatives in the emergency operations center to tackle a lot of issues that tackle all of these programs and regulations," state Civil Defense Chief Edward Teixeira said.

Teams from the city's real property tax division were busy up and down the coast from Kaaawa to Laie on Monday inspecting properties. If an owner sustained enough damage in the storm they may qualify for some type of tax break on their property taxes this year.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann said the damage is probably not bad enough to qualify for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"So far, the preliminary indication is that we may not be eligible for FEMA funds because the damage may not be as extensive as a certain threshold," Hannemann said.

Fortunately, the sun was out on Monday. However, that may not last long. Forecasters with the National Weather Service said another storm could strike the islands by Wednesday. The heavy rains are expected to hit the same places that were flooded last week: Kauai and Windward Oahu.