Eight communities around the Houston area were warned about the potential contamination of their water supplies on Friday evening.
The Brazosport Water Authority, which services the communities, was warned about the presence of a brain-eating microbe by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The communities were warned to refrain from using tap water for any reason other than to flush toilets but the warning was lifted in seven out of the eight communities by Saturday.
Lake Jackson, the only city still affected by the warning, is currently under a "do not use water" order, which may lead to an official declaration of an emergency by the state.
"On September 8th, 2020, the City of Lake Jackson was contacted by the Brazoria County Health Department about a 6-year-old boy that was hospitalized due to a rare and often fatal brain eating ameba, Naegleria Fowleri," a statement released by the city read.
The city is urging people to thoroughly boil water "prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes" in addition to avoid having any contact with water in their nose. The microbe apparently enters the body through the nose where it makes its way into the brain.
The city's mayor has since requested Texas Governor Greg Abbott to declare a state of emergency.
"The City of Lake Jackson, County of Brazoria, Texas, is facing significant threats to life, health and property due to contaminated drinking water," he wrote. "I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude than an effective response is beyond the capability of the city to control."
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