Central- Housing and health experts warn homeowners to be vigilant against mold and bacteria even two months after the flood.

The toxic flood water is categorized as "black water" because it's full of bacteria. State Epidemiologist Raoult Ratard told a group of homeowners in Central Wednesday any surface that came in contact with the water needs to be disinfected.

"When you have a lot of this sewer water and the water out of the bayous it's going to be fairly dirty so do a usual cleaning," said Ratard.

Homeowners have been drying out their houses for weeks now to prevent mold growth. However Laudette Reichel with LSU's AG Center says it's difficult to do it properly considering the regions high humidity.

"Get dehumidifiers," said Reichel. "If you can't get dehumidifiers then use portable heaters and air conditioners at the same time."

The experts also said gutted out houses provide a rare opportunity to rebuild stronger structures.

For more details here are some helpful links:

-EPA and Mold

-Black Water and Mold Remediation

-Building a Stronger Home after the Flood