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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Grafton Waterworks

Dry cleaning chemical tetrachloroethylene, or perc, can cause cancer. It pollutes soil and groundwater due to emissions from dry cleaning facilities, and automotive, metalworking and other industries. Read More.

The EPA considers tetrachloroethylene a likely human carcinogen. It has been linked with increased incidence of lung, breast and colon cancers. Tetrachloroethylene also damages the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.06 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 80 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 5 parts per billion.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

149

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

58

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.510 ppb259ND - 2.90 ppb
20150.524 ppb2511ND - 2.20 ppb
20160.697 ppb248ND - 3.20 ppb
20170.772 ppb229ND - 5.50 ppb
20180.579 ppb2411ND - 2.30 ppb
20190.675 ppb2910ND - 3.50 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.06 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for tetrachloroethylene 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 tetrachloroethylene, established in 1991, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to tetrachloroethylene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-03-10773674ND
2014-03-10773668ND
2014-03-10773671ND
2014-03-10773659ND
2014-03-107736560.820 ppb
2014-03-107736671.20 ppb
2014-04-07778332ND
2014-04-07778329ND
2014-04-07778331ND
2014-04-07778326ND
2014-04-077783252.00 ppb
2014-04-077783302.70 ppb
2014-07-29806739ND
2014-07-29806744ND
2014-07-29806742ND
2014-07-29806745ND
2014-07-298067470.270 ppb
2014-07-298067381.50 ppb
2014-07-298067432.90 ppb
2014-12-15835979ND
2014-12-15835984ND
2014-12-15835982ND
2014-12-15835985ND
2014-12-158359780.530 ppb
2014-12-158359830.820 ppb
2015-03-04846466ND
2015-03-04846461ND
2015-03-04846464ND
2015-03-04846451ND
2015-03-048464631.40 ppb
2015-03-048464491.60 ppb
2015-05-26861799ND
2015-05-26861797ND
2015-05-26861793ND
2015-05-268617980.240 ppb
2015-05-268617961.60 ppb
2015-05-268617921.80 ppb
2015-09-08881969ND
2015-09-08881963ND
2015-09-088819680.310 ppb
2015-09-088819621.80 ppb
2015-09-09881967ND
2015-09-098819710.260 ppb
2015-09-098819662.20 ppb
2015-12-28899820ND
2015-12-28899818ND
2015-12-28899813ND
2015-12-28899814ND
2015-12-288998190.200 ppb
2015-12-288998171.70 ppb
2016-03-16910611ND
2016-03-16910607ND
2016-03-16910609ND
2016-03-16910601ND
2016-03-169106060.930 ppb
2016-03-169105992.00 ppb
2016-05-16921438ND
2016-05-16921436ND
2016-05-16921437ND
2016-05-16921432ND
2016-05-169214311.80 ppb
2016-05-169214352.90 ppb
2016-08-31942867ND
2016-08-31942865ND
2016-08-31942861ND
2016-08-319428601.20 ppb
2016-08-319428643.20 ppb
2016-09-01942866ND
2016-11-17960029ND
2016-11-17960027ND
2016-11-17960028ND
2016-11-17960023ND
2016-11-179600222.30 ppb
2016-11-179600262.40 ppb
2017-03-15978080ND
2017-03-15978086ND
2017-03-159780832.60 ppb
2017-03-16978077ND
2017-03-16978073ND
2017-03-169780761.60 ppb
2017-06-281001051ND
2017-06-281001048ND
2017-06-281001050ND
2017-06-2810010430.920 ppb
2017-06-2810010471.60 ppb
2017-09-201019870ND
2017-09-201019868ND
2017-09-201019869ND
2017-09-2010198630.820 ppb
2017-09-2010198672.30 ppb
2017-12-191034429ND
2017-12-191034427ND
2017-12-191034423ND
2017-12-1910344280.340 ppb
2017-12-1910344221.30 ppb
2017-12-1910344265.50 ppb
2018-03-141045110ND
2018-03-141045108ND
2018-03-141045109ND
2018-03-141045104ND
2018-03-1410451071.80 ppb
2018-03-1410451032.10 ppb
2018-06-191062396ND
2018-06-191062394ND
2018-06-191062390ND
2018-06-1910623950.480 ppb
2018-06-1910623892.20 ppb
2018-09-171080756ND
2018-09-171080753ND
2018-09-1710807580.640 ppb
2018-09-1710807521.40 ppb
2018-09-261083608ND
2018-09-2610836100.450 ppb
2018-09-2610836090.930 ppb
2018-11-261094376ND
2018-11-261094370ND
2018-11-2610943691.30 ppb
2018-11-271094374ND
2018-11-2710943750.300 ppb
2018-11-2710943732.30 ppb
2019-03-181110136ND
2019-03-181110132ND
2019-03-181110134ND
2019-03-181110128ND
2019-03-1811101311.80 ppb
2019-03-1811101303.30 ppb
2019-04-171116388ND
2019-06-171128507ND
2019-06-171128505ND
2019-06-171128506ND
2019-06-171128501ND
2019-06-171128503ND
2019-06-1711285042.20 ppb
2019-06-1711285023.50 ppb
2019-09-241151017ND
2019-09-241151015ND
2019-09-241151016ND
2019-09-241151011ND
2019-09-241151013ND
2019-09-2411510190.300 ppb
2019-09-2411510122.60 ppb
2019-09-2411510142.70 ppb
2019-12-101164883ND
2019-12-101164881ND
2019-12-101164877ND
2019-12-101164879ND
2019-12-1011648820.280 ppb
2019-12-1011648781.20 ppb
2019-12-1011648801.70 ppb