Some Gloucester County water system users received a notice earlier this month about their water indicating an excess of disinfection by-products in recent tests.

According to the letter sent out by the Gloucester Public Utilities department, the test results do not constitute an emergency and that the water is monitored on a quarterly basis for the presence of Dibutyl phthalate or DBPs. 

According to the notice, DBPs are formed from chlorination of the water supply. Samples were collected from two residences last month; one on Clopton Drive at White Marsh and another on Terrapin Cove Road at Gloucester Point. Samples collected from these residences showed an exceedance of the Maximum Contaminant Level for total trihalomethanes, the notice stated.

The notice went on to read, in part, “This is not an emergency. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL (Maximum Contaminant Levels) over many years could experience problems with their liver,...