Naegleria fowleri, the brain eating amoeba

[BowserB]

Normally found in warm fresh water ponds and lakes, Naegleria fowleri, the "brain eating amoeba" has just been found in the drinking water supply of Brazosport in Brazoria County, south of Houston, presumably a by product of recent flooding from Tropical Storm Beta. Microbes and organic matter commonly found in drinking water pipes, shields the pathogen to the extent that--according to the WHO--chlorine concentrated at 20ppm for 30 minutes is necessary to kill it. That's the same as the SLAM level of FC for a pool with 50ppm CYA. Something to keep in mind if your neighbors' kids swim in your pool after returning from swimming in a pond, lake, reservoir or warm water stream. I only caution about neighbors' kids, because you and I would never let our kids get into that germ, algae, and amoeba-filled pond water.

 

[JamesW]

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[JJ_Tex]

Scary that it made it into the water supply. The Brazos river naturally has the amoeba living in it, especially in late summer, so shame on them for not treating the water for it.

I remember a few years ago a kid in Louisiana used a neti pot (odd contraption where you flush your sinuses out with water when you are sick). His tap water contained the amoeba and it ended up killing him.