Residents near or on Chelsea Creek in Mason City are being asked to avoid contact with the water. The focus is on an area from 19th Street north to Black Pit in Mason City.
According to officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources press release, a wastewater bypass was seen on Tuesday afternoon that has caused discoloration of the creek water. The DNR is taking water samples to test the amount of waste in the water. The first sample was cause for the precautionary warning.
The DNR will alert residents along the creek when the water is once again safe.
