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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

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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

 

70

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.0593 ppb151ND - 0.890 ppb
2015ND180ND
2016ND100ND
2017ND80ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND110ND

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
2014-01-211401933-001AND
2014-02-041402096-001AND
2014-03-041403083-001AND
2014-04-081404406-001AND
2014-05-061405199-001AND
2014-06-031406180-001AND
2014-07-081407377-001A0.890 ppb
2014-08-121408619-001AND
2014-09-161409817-001AND
2014-10-011410012-003AND
2014-10-071410299-001AND
2014-11-041411116-001AND
2014-11-181411A41-003AND
2014-12-081412473-001AND
2014-12-161412917-001AND
2015-01-051501129-001AND
2015-01-051501129-007AND
2015-02-241502E77-001AND
2015-02-241502E77-009AND
2015-03-031503110-001AND
2015-03-031503110-009AND
2015-04-211504G11-001AND
2015-04-281504L38-001AND
2015-05-191505E43-001AND
2015-05-191505E43-009AND
2015-06-151506E33-001AND
2015-06-161506E33-005AND
2015-07-071507335-001AND
2015-07-071507335-007AND
2015-08-041508154-001AND
2015-08-041508154-003AND
2015-10-201510G11-001AND
2015-10-201510G11-003AND
2016-01-191601969-001AND
2016-01-191601969-003AND
2016-04-191604C89-001AND
2016-04-191604C89-003AND
2016-06-211606I19-005AND
2016-06-211606I19-001AND
2016-07-051607093-001AND
2016-07-051607093-003AND
2016-11-011611035-001AND
2016-11-011611035-003AND
2017-01-171701866-001AND
2017-01-171701866-003AND
2017-04-181704B51-003AND
2017-04-181704B51-001AND
2017-07-251707J12-001AND
2017-07-251707J12-003AND
2017-11-071711461-001AND
2017-11-071711461-003AND
2018-01-091801388-003AND
2018-01-091801388-001AND
2018-04-241804G60-003AND
2018-04-241804G60-001AND
2018-08-211808H61-001AND
2018-08-211808H61-003AND
2018-11-061811337-001AND
2018-11-061811337-003AND
2019-01-221901C94-001AND
2019-01-221901C94-003AND
2019-04-161904D38-001AND
2019-04-161904D38-003AND
2019-07-091907542-001AND
2019-07-091907542-003AND
2019-07-091907542-005AND
2019-07-231907I42-003AND
2019-07-231907I42-001AND
2019-11-051911193-003AND
2019-11-051911193-001AND