CHALMETTE, LA – State officials have found a brain-eating amoeba in the waters of a Louisiana parish.
The discovery was made in the St. Bernard water supply after a 4-year-old boy died from it. Officials say he got it from playing on a water-slide. But it’s got residents worried about the safety of their water.
The Center for Disease Control says the water is OK to cook with or drink, but warn about getting it in your nose because that’s apparently how the amoeba travels. Regardless, people are worried and taking precautions.
The water isn’t the only thing that’s hot. Tempers are also heating up. Residents say officials knew about the problem, but failed to take action immediately.
For now, there isn’t much else that can be done. Parish officials say they will continue to flush the water supply with chlorine to kill the amoeba. Hopefully after that they’ll be able to flush away the water worry, too.
