A potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba has been discovered in the St. Bernard Parish Water System at a leaking sampling station that serves more than 44,000 people.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals notified the water system and parish officials last night.
DHH says it asked the water system to conduct a 60-day chlorine burn to ensure that any remaining ameba in the system are eliminated.
Parish officials say the system would conduct the burn out of an abundance of caution.
Tap water in St. Bernard Parish is safe for residents to drink, but the DHH urges residents to avoid getting water in their noses.
The amoeba occurs naturally in freshwater. It’s called the Naegleria fowleri.