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Water system clear of brain-eating amoeba

Bob Lenox
rlenox@thenewsstar.com

Greater Ouachita Water Co. has announced the North Monroe Water System is clear of the "brain-eating" amoeba, naegleria fowleri.

This combo of images provided by the Center for Disease Control shows the Naegleria fowleri amoeba in the trophozoite stage.

In a press release Thursday, the company said the Department of Health and Hospitals collected four samples and all four were negative for the presence of the amoeba.

Greater Ouachita has completed the 60-day chlorine flush on the North Monroe system.

The amoeba was detected in water samples taken at the 701 Guthrie Road sampling site in August.  The site serves approximately 8,400 residents in the North Monroe area along U.S. 165.

Naegleria fowleri can cause a brain infection that leads to the destruction of brain tissue.  In its early stages, symptoms may be similar to bacterial meningitis. DHH officials said the water was safe to drink, but cautioned residents to avoid getting water high up in their noses.

A DHH release in September stated that "the water system did not meet required chloramine disinfectant levels set forth by a 2013 emergency rule at the location where the sample tested positive for the amoeba. The system also previously failed to maintain a 0.5 mg/L residual of chlorine in the water before the system was tested, which is why state officials sampled the system."

The water was tested as part of the state's new public drinking water surveillance program. DHH asked the water system to conduct the 60-day chlorine burn to ensure any remaining amoeba would be eliminated.

Greater Ouachita said moving forward automated chemical feed equipment is being installed to ensure minimum disinfectant residues are consistently maintained through out the system.