US Town Declares Emergency After Brain-Eating Amoeba Found in Tap Water

Just a few years removed from the horrific situation in Flint, Michigan, and town father south is now facing another sort of tap water emergency, and it has already claimed at least one life.

In Flint, investigators eventually discovered that the city’s crumbling infrastructure led to the release of lead from old water pipes, pumping poisonous and horrific water into homes and businesses.  The issue, which has been ongoing for years now, was particularly dangerous for children.

In Texas, a young boy has now died as the result of a brain-eating amoeba that has been frighteningly discovered to be lurking on the town’s tap water.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality warned the Brazosport Water Authority on Friday night of the potential contamination of its water supply with Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba.

A “do not use water” advisory was issued initially for eight communities in the greater Houston area to not use any tap water except to flush toilets but was lifted by Saturday for all communities but Lake Jackson.

The agency said late Saturday night that Lake Jackson lifted its “do not use” advisory but a boil water notice remains in effect along with “additional precautionary measures.”

The discovery did not come soon enough.

City officials said in a news release on Saturday that earlier this month, 6-year-old Josiah McIntyre died after contracting the microbe.

Josiah’s mom, Maria Castillo, told FOX26 her son’s headache turned into vomiting, a fever, and trouble speaking.

Local authorities are working to flush and re-test the town’s water supply, hoping that this flare-up of fowleri is but a temporary issue.