Blue Mound State Park clear again of E. coli

Blue Mounds State Park officials were happy to announce last week that yet another E. coli scare had been alleviated.
In a May 29 email with a subject line “Blue Mounds is bacteria-free!” park manager Chris Ingebretsen announced decontamination efforts were successful.
“… sample tests taken yesterday morning came back free of bacteria,” he said Friday. “Showers have been turned back on.”
Additional samples also came back clear, assuring park visitors that the water is safe and free of bacteria.
Waterlines at the park had been flushed with bleach the previous week after park officials learned May 21 that one water tap had tested positive for E. coli.
Officials had been testing the water quarterly since the   E. coli scare of 2014 had halted all water use in the park.
Ingebretsen admitted the return of E. coli was disappointing in light of the rough 2014 park season.
June flooding destroyed the lower dam and drained the park’s lake and closed the beach and hiking areas.
That disaster came on the heels of a May 12, 2014, E. coli discovery.
Officials thought the previous well was the culprit due to a cracked casing that allowed possible animal feces and the less likely human feces to leak into the water lines.
The old well has since been sealed and the new well drilled at twice the previous depth, away from a possible contaminated underground water vein.
The park has remained open, and according to Ingebretsen, Memorial Day was busy.
“All but two campsites were filled for the weekend,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to a good summer in 2015. While the flood and poor drinking water had its impacts last summer, it was always nice to see our local visitors out using the park, and there will be plenty of reasons to do that this year.”
He mentioned a new geocaching program this summer and a second tepee to camp in (with a third one coming sometime this summer).
“We are excited about expanding the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd over to Minneopa State Park in September,” Ingebretsen said.
“And we’re also partnering with the Luverne Chamber and Visitors Bureau to offer some exciting interpretive programming.”
Information about park activities can be found on the DNR website, and local programming details are available at luvernechamber.com.