Australian Drinking Water Map

2025: Charleville (Queensland) Naegleria fowleri

Potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba found in Charleville, Augathella’s water supply

By Grace Nakamura ABC Western Victoria 11/8/25

A rare and potentially dangerous brain-eating amoeba has been detected in a south-west Queensland shire’s drinking water supply.

The Murweh Shire Council issued a public health notice after recent testing found Naegleria fowleri in the drinking water supply for Charleville and Augathella.

The hazardous amoeba occurs naturally in untreated fresh water and soil, preferring temperatures between 25 degrees Celsius and 40C.

It can cause a very rare but serious brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis that is nearly always fatal.

Infection cannot occur from drinking, cooking, or washing clothes in contaminated water.

It only occurs when untreated water enters the nose and reaches the brain.

There have been no new recorded cases of infection, with the most recent in Queensland more than 10 years ago.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the town’s water supply remains safe to drink.

“There is minimal risk to the community as long as people don’t allow water to go up their nose when bathing, showering or washing their face,” the spokesperson said.

Queensland Health has urged residents to supervise children to ensure water does not go up their noses, not to put heads underwater in pools filled with town water, and to avoid using water for nasal irrigation.

Children more vulnerable

Since 2000, there have been five confirmed cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in Australia and one probable case in Queensland, each resulting in deaths.

Children and young people are more susceptible to the infection.

Three children in north-west Queensland have died from the infection, most recently a one-year-old from Richmond in 2015.

Symptoms usually develop within three to seven days of infection by Naegleria fowleri.

They include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, sleepiness, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, disturbances of taste and smell, and seizures.

Council seeking answers

Murweh Shire chief executive Bruce Scott issued a statement over the weekend urging people to remain calm until there was more information.

“This public health risk is very new to council too, but we hope to have a suitably qualified person/s … to provide answers where possible,” he wrote.

“Please observe the advice provided, and council is seeking your assistance to help spread the word on how to manage this risk sensibly and reassure people to remain calm until the public health unit, the water regulator and council can provide a mitigation strategy.”

Murweh Shire Council is conducting water testing to determine the extent of the contamination.

Naegleria Species:

“GUIDELINE No guideline value is set for Naegleria fowleri in drinking water, but an ‘action level’ is recommended for water supplies likely to be contaminated. If the organism is detected, advice should be sought from the relevant health authority.

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living, thermophilic amoeboflagellate which causes the waterborne disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). This rare but fatal condition has followed use of water for swimming, or domestic bathing. The organism occurs naturally in freshwater of suitable temperature, feeding on bacteria. Its occurrence is only indirectly related to human activity, inasmuch as such activity may modify temperatures or promote bacterial production. PAM has been reported from many countries, usually associated with thermally polluted environments, geothermal water or heated swimming pools. N. fowleri is almost exclusively aquatic, and water is the only known source of infection. Numerous nonvirulent Naegleria species are known in Australia.

PAM cases have been recorded from South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales; Naegleria fowleri has been detected in water in each of these states and in the Northern Territory. Australia is the only country where N. fowleri has been detected in public water supplies (Dorsch et al. 1983). Most of the available data on the density of N. fowleri in water relates to water supplies in South Australia (including the highest reported densities). In temperate Australia, significant seasonal cycles of density occur, from below one organism per litre to hundreds or thousands per litre in poorly disinfected water (Robinson and Christy 1984). N. fowleri detected at water temperatures below 18°C is likely to be present as cysts, which are not infectious, but which may seed a suitable environment.” Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011.

Charleville (Queensland) – pH (alkaline)

2015/16: pH: 8.6 pH units

https://www.murweh.qld.gov.au/documents/17328/42621605/DWQMP%20Report%202016.pdf

Based on the need to reduce corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings, the pH of
drinking water should be between 6.5 and 8.5.

New concrete tanks and cement-mortar lined pipes can significantly increase pH and
a value up to 9.2 may be tolerated, provided monitoring indicates no deterioration in
microbiological quality.

pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of water. It is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, greater than 7 is alkaline, and less than 7 is acidic.

One of the major objectives in controlling pH is to minimise corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings. Corrosion can be reduced by the formation of a protective layer of calcium carbonate on the inside of the pipe or fitting, and the formation of this layer is affected by pH, temperature, the availability of calcium (hardness) and carbon dioxide. If the water is too alkaline (above pH 8.5), the rapid deposition and build-up of calcium carbonate that can result may eventually block the pipe.

2015/16 + 2025 – Charleville (Queensland) – Naegleria fowleri, pH

in , ,

Charleville (Queensland) Naegleria fowleri

Potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba found in Charleville, Augathella’s water supply

By Grace Nakamura ABC Western Victoria 11/8/25

A rare and potentially dangerous brain-eating amoeba has been detected in a south-west Queensland shire’s drinking water supply.

The Murweh Shire Council issued a public health notice after recent testing found Naegleria fowleri in the drinking water supply for Charleville and Augathella.

The hazardous amoeba occurs naturally in untreated fresh water and soil, preferring temperatures between 25 degrees Celsius and 40C.

It can cause a very rare but serious brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis that is nearly always fatal.

Infection cannot occur from drinking, cooking, or washing clothes in contaminated water.

It only occurs when untreated water enters the nose and reaches the brain.

There have been no new recorded cases of infection, with the most recent in Queensland more than 10 years ago.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the town’s water supply remains safe to drink.

“There is minimal risk to the community as long as people don’t allow water to go up their nose when bathing, showering or washing their face,” the spokesperson said.

Queensland Health has urged residents to supervise children to ensure water does not go up their noses, not to put heads underwater in pools filled with town water, and to avoid using water for nasal irrigation.

Children more vulnerable

Since 2000, there have been five confirmed cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in Australia and one probable case in Queensland, each resulting in deaths.

Children and young people are more susceptible to the infection.

Three children in north-west Queensland have died from the infection, most recently a one-year-old from Richmond in 2015.

Symptoms usually develop within three to seven days of infection by Naegleria fowleri.

They include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, sleepiness, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, disturbances of taste and smell, and seizures.

Council seeking answers

Murweh Shire chief executive Bruce Scott issued a statement over the weekend urging people to remain calm until there was more information.

“This public health risk is very new to council too, but we hope to have a suitably qualified person/s … to provide answers where possible,” he wrote.

“Please observe the advice provided, and council is seeking your assistance to help spread the word on how to manage this risk sensibly and reassure people to remain calm until the public health unit, the water regulator and council can provide a mitigation strategy.”

Murweh Shire Council is conducting water testing to determine the extent of the contamination.

Naegleria Species:

“GUIDELINE No guideline value is set for Naegleria fowleri in drinking water, but an ‘action level’ is recommended for water supplies likely to be contaminated. If the organism is detected, advice should be sought from the relevant health authority.

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living, thermophilic amoeboflagellate which causes the waterborne disease primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). This rare but fatal condition has followed use of water for swimming, or domestic bathing. The organism occurs naturally in freshwater of suitable temperature, feeding on bacteria. Its occurrence is only indirectly related to human activity, inasmuch as such activity may modify temperatures or promote bacterial production. PAM has been reported from many countries, usually associated with thermally polluted environments, geothermal water or heated swimming pools. N. fowleri is almost exclusively aquatic, and water is the only known source of infection. Numerous nonvirulent Naegleria species are known in Australia.

PAM cases have been recorded from South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales; Naegleria fowleri has been detected in water in each of these states and in the Northern Territory. Australia is the only country where N. fowleri has been detected in public water supplies (Dorsch et al. 1983). Most of the available data on the density of N. fowleri in water relates to water supplies in South Australia (including the highest reported densities). In temperate Australia, significant seasonal cycles of density occur, from below one organism per litre to hundreds or thousands per litre in poorly disinfected water (Robinson and Christy 1984). N. fowleri detected at water temperatures below 18°C is likely to be present as cysts, which are not infectious, but which may seed a suitable environment.” Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011.

Charleville (Queensland) – pH (alkaline)

2015/16: pH: 8.6 pH units

https://www.murweh.qld.gov.au/documents/17328/42621605/DWQMP%20Report%202016.pdf

Based on the need to reduce corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings, the pH of
drinking water should be between 6.5 and 8.5.

New concrete tanks and cement-mortar lined pipes can significantly increase pH and
a value up to 9.2 may be tolerated, provided monitoring indicates no deterioration in
microbiological quality.

pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of water. It is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, greater than 7 is alkaline, and less than 7 is acidic.

One of the major objectives in controlling pH is to minimise corrosion and encrustation in pipes and fittings. Corrosion can be reduced by the formation of a protective layer of calcium carbonate on the inside of the pipe or fitting, and the formation of this layer is affected by pH, temperature, the availability of calcium (hardness) and carbon dioxide. If the water is too alkaline (above pH 8.5), the rapid deposition and build-up of calcium carbonate that can result may eventually block the pipe.