WILMINGTON, N.C. -Frustration is building from some people who live near the Cape Fear River, downstream from Fayetteville.

They’re worried their drinking water may not be safe after the state announced a company discharged an unregulated chemical into the water.

Gov. Roy Cooper and the heads of the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services spoke about the situation in Wilmington.

“Sometimes it’s easy to take safe water for granted,” said Cooper, (D) North Carolina. “I assure you that I do not.”

That’s the message Cooper has for the 322,000 people whose drinking water could have come into contact with GenX, a chemical compound released by a company called Chemours, a chemical manufacturer.

“No matter what the level of GenX is in our water, we will not drink that,” said Beth Markesino, Wilmington resident.

State leaders told the company to stop the discharging the chemical into the Cape Fear River.

The communities potentially impacted are along the Cape Fear, southeast of the discharge point by the Cumberland – Bladen County line.

The governor asked the Environmental Protection Agency to create rules on the discharge of GenX. There are no federal drinking water standards for the chemical.

“When you live right here and you’re drinking this water, this is a big deal,” said Cooper.

The governor asked the SBI to look into whether a criminal investigation is warranted.

CBS North Carolina asked if the water people are drinking right now is safe.

“We’re happy that GenX is no longer being discharged,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, North Carolina Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. “We’re seeing those levels come down and that’s why I’m comfortable saying that folks can continue to drink the water.”

Cooper also is asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review any potential long-term health effects.

Chemours previously has said it will pay for the cost of testing the water.

CBS North Carolina reached out to them for a response to Monday’s developments and have yet to hear back.