Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Ozark Utilities Board

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

 

54

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.0850 ppb101ND - 0.850 ppb
2015ND70ND
2016ND140ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND20ND
20190.157 ppb171ND - 2.67 ppb

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
2014-02-18AA885170.850 ppb
2014-02-20AA88516ND
2014-04-17AA89210ND
2014-04-17AA89209ND
2014-06-17AA90104ND
2014-06-17AA90103ND
2014-08-04AA90909ND
2014-08-06AA90910ND
2014-11-06AA92639ND
2014-11-06AA92638ND
2015-03-04AB02429ND
2015-03-04AB02430ND
2015-03-04AB02431ND
2015-06-02AB04710ND
2015-06-02AB04709ND
2015-08-19AB07042ND
2015-08-19AB07043ND
2016-02-18AB10064ND
2016-02-18AB10062ND
2016-02-18AB10070ND
2016-02-18AB10068ND
2016-02-18AB10065ND
2016-02-18AB10066ND
2016-02-18AB10069ND
2016-06-13AB12399ND
2016-06-13AB12397ND
2016-06-13AB12400ND
2016-06-13AB12403ND
2016-06-13AB12401ND
2016-06-13AB12402ND
2016-06-13AB12398ND
2017-05-24AB19647ND
2017-05-24AB19646ND
2017-05-24AB19649ND
2017-05-24AB19648ND
2018-06-13AB27747ND
2018-06-13AB27748ND
2019-02-07AB32888ND
2019-02-07AB32894ND
2019-02-07AB32893ND
2019-02-07AB32892ND
2019-02-07AB32891ND
2019-02-07AB32890ND
2019-02-07AB32889ND
2019-06-19AB36112ND
2019-06-19AB36117ND
2019-06-19AB36114ND
2019-06-19AB36115ND
2019-06-19AB36116ND
2019-06-19AB36113ND
2019-11-21AB403072.67 ppb
2019-11-21AB40304ND
2019-11-21AB40305ND
2019-11-21AB40306ND