All Arlington public pools and splash pads are closed until further notice after a possible detection of a brain-eating amoeba.
A sample from California Lane Park collected Aug. 17 was “presumed positive” for the presence of Naegleria fowleri, according to a city press release. The amoeba causes a rare but fatal disease in humans when it enters the body through the nose and is most commonly found in stagnant water and freshwater streams.
The Environmental Protection Agency notified the city Tuesday and will conduct a test at a lab in Gainesville, Fla., to confirm the amoeba presence. The city noted those results may be delayed as Hurricane Idalia drenches the Southeast.
“The City of Arlington is committed to the highest standards of safety and transparency and will keep the community updated regarding the pending test results,” James Orloski, parks and recreation director, said in the city’s press release. “Our industry-leading protocols and the advanced technology we have in place give us confidence in the chemical monitoring and treatment at our aquatics facilities.”
The city has not received any reports of illness or hospitalizations linked to its pools or splash pads. City drinking water was not affected.
The sample from California Lane Park was collected as part of a voluntary study on splash pad safety with the EPA. Arlington represents one of a “handful” of municipalities that are participants, according to the city’s press release.
The precautions are part of a greater effort from the city to maintain and monitor aquatic facilities following the death of 3-year-old Bakari Williams in 2021.
Bakari contracted primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), the disease associated with N. fowleri. An analysis of water quality records showed that park staff did not record water quality for over 60 of the 100 days the fountains ran at Don Misenheimer Park. Constant water monitoring and chlorine treatment are among two of the ways to minimize the risk of N. fowleri.
As part of a $250,000 settlement with the child’s family in May 2022, the city instituted the Bakari Williams Protocol, a set of testing, treatment and safety practices.
The city also instituted nearly $650,000 in improvements to the city’s four splash pads and public pools.
Stephen Stewart, an attorney representing Bakari's family in the suit, said he and the family are "anxiously awaiting" EPA results. He said in a phone interview that hot weather allows the amoeba to flourish, but that the protocols should not have allowed N. Fowleri to thrive.
"So long as water is moving and that it's tested and that it's chlorinated and monitored doing everything that the Bakari Williams Protocol mandates that the City of Arlington do, the amoeba shouldn't have the ability to grow in the Bakari Williams Protocol environment," Stewart said.
City records showed chlorination levels at California Lane Park splash pads stayed steady throughout the summer. Chlorination levels averaged at nearly three times the levels recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at 3.5 parts per million. City staff manually tested water quality around four times per day, according to the city’s press release.
Infection caused by N. fowleri is rare, with 29 cases reported in the U.S. between 2013 and 2022. Symptoms of infection can include fever, headache, nausea or vomiting. Later symptoms include seizures, hallucinations, comas, stiff neck, confusion and lack of attention to people and surroundings.
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