BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — The discovery of a brain-eating amoeba in the drinking water of Lake Jackson, Texas has had some question the safety of drinking water in the state.
The cities of Bryan and College Station want to assure everyone that local water from the B-CS water systems is safe.
The amoeba found in Lake Jackson's drinking water is a single-celled living organism called Naegleria fowleri. According the the CDC, it is found worldwide in warm, freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and soil.
Infections caused by the amoeba are rare, with only 34 infections nationwide from 2009-2018. Naegleria fowleri infections can happen when contaminated water enters the body through the nose, making its way to the brain. It cannot be contracted by swallowing water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri or through an open wound.
The cities of Bryan-College Station assure that that the local water here is routinely disinfected with free chlorine, maintaining the state standard minimum 0.2 milligrams per Liter disinfection level. Lake Jackson's water was not at this standard, and is being required to bring its water system to compliance.
Additionally, Bryan and College Stations' entire water supply is from groundwater, not surface water. Although this doesn't specifically protect from Naegleria fowleri, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says that the Groundwater Rule will provide increased protection against microbial pathogens.