State officials have officially lifted the water contact advisory at John Martin Reservoir after recent testing showed water quality has returned to safe levels.
The advisory was initially issued after an estimated 4.25 million gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Arkansas River from a ruptured pipe in Pueblo. The spill occurred when a patch on a concrete sewer plant pipe failed inside a stormwater discharge pipe, sending elevated levels of E. coli and other contaminants downstream.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), recent water sampling indicates that E. coli concentrations in the reservoir are now consistent with state recreational standards.

While the reservoir is cleared for recreational contact, public health officials warn that the advisory remains in place for the Arkansas River stretch from where Fountain Creek meets the Arkansas through La Junta, where E. coli results are still elevated. Additionally, visitors should be aware that Lake Hasty, a separate body of water at the park, remains under a red danger condition for cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and is closed to full-body contact.