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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

City of Broussard Highway 90 Water System

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

50

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND240ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND120ND
2017ND60ND
2018ND40ND
2019N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb

The legal limit for dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-02-17AD89082ND
2014-02-17AD89082ND
2014-03-24AD89953ND
2014-03-24AD89952ND
2014-03-24AD89953ND
2014-03-24AD89952ND
2014-05-05AD91181ND
2014-05-05AD91179ND
2014-05-05AD91180ND
2014-05-05AD91181ND
2014-05-05AD91180ND
2014-05-05AD91179ND
2014-09-15AD96936ND
2014-09-15AD96937ND
2014-09-15AD96938ND
2014-09-15AD96936ND
2014-09-15AD96937ND
2014-09-15AD96938ND
2014-11-17AD99809ND
2014-11-17AD99810ND
2014-11-17AD99811ND
2014-11-17AD99809ND
2014-11-17AD99810ND
2014-11-17AD99811ND
2015-11-3035218949002ND
2015-11-3035218949001ND
2015-11-3035218949002ND
2015-11-3035218949001ND
2016-06-0735248530008ND
2016-06-0735248530006ND
2016-06-0735248530007ND
2016-06-0735248530006ND
2016-06-0735248530007ND
2016-06-0735248530008ND
2016-11-0135274958005ND
2016-11-0135274958005ND
2016-11-0135274958004ND
2016-11-0135274958003ND
2016-11-0135274958003ND
2016-11-0135274958004ND
2017-03-0335299127005ND
2017-03-0335299127004ND
2017-03-0335299127003ND
2017-03-0335299127003ND
2017-03-0335299127004ND
2017-03-0335299127005ND
2018-06-1235398353001ND
2018-06-1235398353002ND
2018-06-1235398353001ND
2018-06-1235398353002ND