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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Purcellville, Town of

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

 

48

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND80ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND80ND
2017ND60ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND100ND

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
2014-02-26E131208339ND
2014-06-10E140304185ND
2014-06-26E140304171ND
2014-06-26E140304170ND
2014-08-21E140606715ND
2014-09-25E140606720ND
2014-11-18E140904326ND
2014-11-18E140904332ND
2015-03-26VA010-DCLSND
2015-05-21VA010-DCLSND
2015-06-10VA010-DCLSND
2015-07-30VA010-DCLSND
2015-07-30VA010-DCLSND
2015-08-06VA010-DCLSND
2015-11-17VA010-DCLSND
2015-11-17VA010-DCLSND
2016-03-29E151205960ND
2016-03-29E151205963ND
2016-03-29E151205962ND
2016-06-15E160305751ND
2016-06-20E160305746ND
2016-09-13E160700325ND
2016-11-29E160805475ND
2016-11-29E160805461ND
2017-02-28E170204040ND
2017-05-23E170300436ND
2017-05-23E170300444ND
2017-08-10E170504025ND
2017-11-16E170901981ND
2017-11-16E170901975ND
2018-02-27E180100342ND
2018-05-23E180303850ND
2018-05-30E180303851ND
2018-08-21E180601975ND
2018-08-28E180601971ND
2018-08-28E180601981ND
2018-11-19E180901410ND
2018-12-11E180901404ND
2019-02-19E181104004ND
2019-02-19E181104015ND
2019-02-19E181104016ND
2019-03-21E190302948ND
2019-03-21E190302957ND
2019-05-29E190304839ND
2019-05-29E190304846ND
2019-09-10E190900749ND
2019-11-25E191000255ND
2019-12-04E191000266ND