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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Medford Waterworks

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

 

56

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND110ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND70ND
2017ND90ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND120ND

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
2014-01-21767181ND
2014-01-21767182ND
2014-04-29783005ND
2014-04-29783002ND
2014-04-29782999ND
2014-04-30783265ND
2014-04-30783269ND
2014-09-17819124ND
2014-09-17819122ND
2014-12-03834158ND
2014-12-03834157ND
2015-03-02845772ND
2015-03-02845773ND
2015-06-23867428ND
2015-06-23867430ND
2015-09-15883132ND
2015-09-15883133ND
2015-10-28891588ND
2015-10-28891587ND
2016-01-25902619ND
2016-01-25902620ND
2016-04-27918276ND
2016-04-27918278ND
2016-08-08937718ND
2016-08-08937719ND
2016-11-02957000ND
2017-02-14973713ND
2017-05-16990557ND
2017-06-261000152ND
2017-06-261000146ND
2017-06-261000149ND
2017-06-271000575ND
2017-06-271000578ND
2017-08-011008017ND
2017-10-031022345ND
2018-01-231038433ND
2018-03-131044964ND
2018-04-101049494ND
2018-04-101049492ND
2018-05-011052800ND
2018-10-081085722ND
2018-10-081085721ND
2018-11-071091794ND
2018-11-071091795ND
2019-02-111104479ND
2019-02-111104477ND
2019-02-111104476ND
2019-04-101114638ND
2019-04-101114629ND
2019-04-101114631ND
2019-07-151134329ND
2019-07-151134328ND
2019-07-151134331ND
2019-09-101146712ND
2019-10-151155129ND
2019-10-151155130ND