LE MARS, Iowa (AP) – Residents of Le Mars are being cautioned to hold off on their laundry because a water main break has caused rusty water to flow from customers’ taps.  City Water Superintendent Gayle Sitzmann tells the Le Mars Daily Sentinel it took about 45 minutes to shut down the water main Friday, and during that time pressure in water lines varied greatly. That caused water to scour the lines, releasing rust into the water that reaches most of the city’s residents.

Sitzmann says it’s unclear how long the rust-colored water would remain. Until the water clears, she recommends against doing laundry, especially of white clothes.