Politics & Government

Brazosport Water Authority 'Do Not Use' Order Largely Lifted

The presence of brain-eating amoeba naegleria fowleri prompted a warning only applying to Lake Jackson residents by Saturday.

analysis, analyzing, biology, biotechnology, chemical, chemistry, dirty, drinking, ecology, Utility officials late Friday were informed of naegleria fowleri in the water, prompting a 'do not use' notice affecting multi, environmental, equipment, experimen
analysis, analyzing, biology, biotechnology, chemical, chemistry, dirty, drinking, ecology, Utility officials late Friday were informed of naegleria fowleri in the water, prompting a 'do not use' notice affecting multi, environmental, equipment, experimen (Shutterstock)

AUSTIN, TX — State regulators on Saturday lifted a "do not use" order that had been issued Friday night after the presence of a brain-eating amoeba was detected in the Brazosport Water authority supply.

The advisory was largely lifted after adequate levels of disinfectant was found to counter the naegleria fowleri amoeba, regulators updated in an emailed advisory. However, Lake Jackson residents drawing water from the Brazosport Water Authority treatment plant continue to be urged not to ingest or otherwise use the tap water.

"After extensive conversations with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as well as ensuring that Brazosport Water Authority has an adequate disinfectant residual, a determination has been made that there is no safety issue for BWA’s distribution system," Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulators wrote in the update issued at around 11 a.m. on Saturday.

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Related story: Brain-Eating Amoeba Prompts Disaster Declaration In Lake Jackson


As a result, the Brazosport Water Authority is lifting the previous "do not use" advisory regulators on Saturday said was previously issued "out of an abundance of caution." The issue has since been narrowed to the city of Lake Jackson’s water distribution system, regulators wrote. Regulators and treatment plant operators are working closely with Lake Jackson officials to target and resolve the incident, regulators noted.

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The cities no longer under a "do not use" water advisory are: Freeport; Angleton; Brazoria; Richwood; Oyster Creek; Clute; and Rosenberg. The advisory also was lifted for the Dow Chemical Co. and the Clemens and Wayne Scott prison units operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

In its updated advisory, regulators urged Lake Jackson residents to continue following the "do not use" advisory until the water system has been adequately flushed and samples indicate that the water is safe to use. However, regulators noted it was unknown how long this process may take.

In a "do not use" water advisory, residents in the impacted area are urged not to drink or use the tap water from the impacted system for any purpose for the duration of the advisory, including for bathing. Flushing the toilet is safe, regulators noted.

State and federal regulations have established treatment requirements for public water systems that prevent waterborne pathogens such as amoebae from contaminating drinking water, officials noted. Naegleria fowleri is a type of amoeba that can be managed using standard treatment and disinfection processes, regulators added.

As the incident is resolved, officials added, further updates will be sent to local media and posted on TCEQ’s Facebook and Twitter.


From Friday:

AUSTIN, TX — Brazosport Water Authority users late Friday were informed of the presence of the brain-eating amoeba naegleria fowleri in the water supply, prompting a "do not use" advisory across the water treatment plant's service area.

The advisory covers the Texas water authority's entire service area — including the cities of Lake Jackson; Freeport; Angleton; Brazoria; Richwood; Oyster Creek; Clute; and Rosenburg. The water plant also services the Dow Chemical Co. along with the Clemens and Wayne Scott prison units located in greater Houston and southwest of Houston, respectively, according to a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality advisory issued just before 10:45 p.m. on Friday.

Regulators said the water authority was first notified of the amoeba presence at 9:30 p.m. Brazosport Water Authority is a water treatment plant in Lake Jackson, Texas, within the greater Houston metropolitan area.

"The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality at the direction of the Governor’s Office, is working with Brazosport Water Authority to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," officials wrote in the advisory.

In a do not use water advisory, impacted residents are urged not to drink or use the tap water from the impacted system — for any purpose for the duration of the advisory — including for the purposes of bathing. Flushing the toilet is safe, regulators noted.

"The 'do not use' advisory will remain in place until the water system has been adequately flushed and samples indicate that the water is safe to use," regulators wrote. "It is not known at this time how long this may take, but the health and safety of the public water system’s customers is TCEQ’s priority."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, naegleria fowleri causes the disease primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a brain infection that leads to the destruction of brain tissue. In its early stages, symptoms of PAM may be similar to symptoms of bacterial meningitis, according to the CDC website.

However, CDC officials noted people cannot get infected from ingesting contaminated water: "You cannot get infected from drinking water contaminated with Naegleria," officials wrote. "You can only be infected when contaminated water goes up into your nose."

Such nasal entry typically occurs when people go swimming or diving in warm freshwater places, such as lakes and rivers, CDC officials noted. The Naegleria fowleri ameba are then able to travel up the nose to the brain where it destroys the brain tissue, officials wrote.

"In very rare instances, Naegleria infections may also occur when contaminated water from other sources (such as inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water or contaminated tap water) enters the nose, for example when people submerge their heads or cleanse their noses during religious practices, and when people irrigate their sinuses (nose) using contaminated tap water," CDC experts wrote. "Naegleria fowleri has not been shown to spread via water vapor or aerosol droplets (such as shower mist or vapor from a humidifier)."

Naegleria is an ameba (single-celled living organism) commonly found in warm freshwater (for example, lakes, rivers, and hot springs) and soil, according to the CDC page. Naegleria fowleri is the only species that infects people, officials added.

The Brazosport Water Authority is a political subdivision of The State of Texas created by House Bill 650 to provide wholesale potable water to its seven member cities, the pair of prison farms and Dow Chemical, according to information found on its website. Brazosport Water Authority’s water source is the Brazos River via the Harris and Brazoria reservoirs, according to the website.

More information will be made available on Facebook and Twitter. Patch will update as more details are known.


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