The HOA maintenance team is taking every step possible to make sure you have safe water. The following information is to keep you informed and to educate the community on the recent happenings around the State.
Through the recent discovery of the Naegleria Fowleri ameba in two water systems in Louisiana and in consultation with EPA and CDC experts; LDHH-OPH is recommending that ALL public water systems maintain a minimum 0.5 mg/1 free chlorine residual if disinfection is by chlorination. This level of free chlorine residual is determined to be sufficient to kill the ameba. Prior to the discovery of the ameba 0.2 mg/1 of free chlorine residual was required by the LDHH-OPH throughout a water system. Beau Chêne Homeowners Association has always maintained average free chlorine residuals well over 0.5mg/1. As an example, in the month of September, our system free residuals averaged 1.2mg/1. The free chlorine residuals are tested in five locations throughout our water system on a daily basis and results have been logged and maintained for more than ten years.
The two systems that tested positive for the Naegleria Fowleri ameba are among a total of 84 systems in Louisiana that disinfect by chlorimination instead of chlorination. Beau Chêne uses the method of chlorination to disinfect the water in our system. The LDHH-OPH is recommending that ALL systems utilizing chlorimination switch to disinfection with free chlorine (as Beau Chêne uses), maintain a free chlorine residual of 1.0mg/1 throughout their system for a period greater than 60 days, and increase monitoring for the system free chlorine residuals by 25 percent.
The Beau Chêne Homeowners Association Water System is way ahead of the new requirements which means your potable water is safe to drink.
Truly,
Dave Vinson