Lake Jackson, a city in Texas had declared a disaster after a brain-eating amoeba was detected in the water supplies.

“The City of Lake Jackson, County of Brazoria, Texas, is facing significant threats to life, health and property due to contaminated drinking water. The impact of this threat is severe. The potential damages include- sickness and death,” the city said in an emergency request to Gov. Greg Abbott.

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Eight cities in Texas were alerted this with a “do not use” water advisory by The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality after officials found the presence of naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba in the water supply, according to a Friday statement issued by the commission.

Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, Brazoria, Richwood, Oyster Creek, Clute and Rosenburg, Texas are the cities who were asked to not use water. However, it was later clarified that water is safe to use in all locations other than Lake Jackson. As of now, the residents are receiving a free case of water from the city.

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The issue surfaced when a 6-year-old boy was hospitalised with the amoeba on September 8.

The Texas Department of Health Services later traced the infection to a water fountain “splash pad” the boy played in at the Lake Jackson Civic Center, CNN reported.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the amoeba is found in warm freshwater like lakes, rivers and hot springs, as well as soil. People cannot get infected by swallowing water contaminated with the amoeba, but infections are typically traced to water entering the body through the nose.