Indiana State Parks recently announced that individuals are prohibited from swimming in Brookeville Lake at Mounds State Recreation Area due to elevated levels of E. coli.
On Facebook, it was announced by the department that the beach for swimming at Mounds State Recreation Area has been closed due to high levels of E. coli found in a water sample test. The park is located approximately an hour northwest of Cincinnati.
The Indiana State Parks department is currently awaiting the results of a second sample that was tested on Friday. As of Saturday afternoon, the results are still pending. The department has announced that the beach will remain closed until Monday due to this ongoing situation.
The community was advised by officials to keep an eye on their social media accounts for any updates regarding the reopening of the beach.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, E. coli bacteria can be found in the environment and in the waste of humans and other animals. They are useful in detecting fecal contamination in freshwater.
If you happen to come in contact with water that has high levels of E. coli, you have a higher chance of getting sick.
The Indiana State Parks post states that the water system can be contaminated with high levels of E. coli due to various factors such as increased temperatures, increased nutrient levels resulting from heavy rainfall, and animal waste drainage.
Recently, Mounds State Recreation Area witnessed a surge in the cases of E. coli. Interestingly, this comes shortly after the Ohio Department of Health raised an alarm for Lake Acton in Hueston Woods State Park due to the same cause.
