(Luverne, MN) – Years after bacteria was discovered in a southwestern Minnesota state park’s water supply, a safe supply has been restored.

Water service at Blue Mounds State Park was first disrupted in 2014, after the park’s well tested positive for E. coli bacteria.  A second well was dug that year, but also contained E. coli, which meant the park needed to find a new water source.

Over the winter, contractors made the final connections to provide water to the park from Rock County Rural Water System.  Water that is safe to drink, cook, and bathe with is now available for visitors to Blue Mounds for the first time in five camping seasons.

“We’re excited to have water service restored,” said Blue Mounds State Park manager Chris Ingebretsen.  “We appreciate the patience shown by our visitors, and look forward to welcoming them for the 2019 camping season.”  Ingebretsen said the project was “fairly complex” due to the Sioux quartzite rock that underlies the park.  The rock required drilling and blasting to bring in the underground water lines.

Blue Mounds State Park was founded in 1937 and is home to a 1.5 mile rock cliff outcrop, native prairie, and Minnesota’s first state-owned herd of bison.

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