AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) – Governor Greg Abbott provided an update Tuesday on the state’s response to the presence of Naeglera Fowleri, a deadly ameba, in the City of Lake Jackson’s water supply.
Lake Jackson sits about 50 miles south of Houston.
The Governor issued a disaster declaration on Sunday after the ameba was found. The death of a 6-year-old is being linked to the discovery.
The Governor was briefed by officials on steps being taken to respond to the situation, including a boil water notice, flushing the city’s water supply, testing environmental samples, and providing free cases of water to residents.
According to Governor Abbott, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is working alongside the City of Lake Jackson, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the Texas A&M Forest Service, the Texas Military Department, the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency to resolve the ongoing water issue.
“The health of the Lake Jackson community and the safety of their water supply is a top priority,” said Governor Abbott. “The state is working closely with local and federal officials to resolve this issue, provide resources to the region, and ensure the City of Lake Jackson has safe, clean drinking water. Our hearts go out to the young Texan who lost his life and his family, and I ask my fellow Texans to join me in keeping him and his family in their thoughts and prayers. Residents should continue to heed the orders of local officials as we continue to monitor this situation and work to eradicate this deadly ameba from the water supply.”
Once the flushing and disinfecting process is complete, and the system’s chlorine residuals meet state and federal regulations, a boil water notice will be lifted. The CDC recommended precautions will remain in place until concern about the ameba is resolved.
Listen to Clayton Neville’s story below:
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