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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Marshfield Water Department

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

 

156

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND260ND
2015ND270ND
2016ND210ND
2017ND300ND
2018ND260ND
2019ND260ND

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 Result
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-02-07ND
2014-03-25ND
2014-04-17ND
2014-04-29ND
2014-04-29ND
2014-04-29ND
2014-04-29ND
2014-04-29ND
2014-05-13ND
2014-08-06ND
2014-08-06ND
2014-08-06ND
2014-08-19ND
2014-10-10ND
2014-10-10ND
2014-10-10ND
2014-10-10ND
2014-11-06ND
2014-11-06ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-02-26ND
2015-03-13ND
2015-04-28ND
2015-05-14ND
2015-05-14ND
2015-05-14ND
2015-05-14ND
2015-05-14ND
2015-05-14ND
2015-08-06ND
2015-08-06ND
2015-08-06ND
2015-08-06ND
2015-10-16ND
2015-12-07ND
2015-12-07ND
2015-12-07ND
2015-12-11ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-02-18ND
2016-05-20ND
2016-05-24ND
2016-05-24ND
2016-05-24ND
2016-05-24ND
2016-09-08ND
2016-09-08ND
2016-09-09ND
2016-11-30ND
2016-11-30ND
2016-11-30ND
2017-02-02ND
2017-02-02ND
2017-02-02ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-02-28ND
2017-03-01ND
2017-03-01ND
2017-05-11ND
2017-05-15ND
2017-05-24ND
2017-05-24ND
2017-05-24ND
2017-05-24ND
2017-09-13ND
2017-09-13ND
2017-09-13ND
2017-09-13ND
2017-11-16ND
2017-11-16ND
2017-11-16ND
2017-11-16ND
2017-11-16ND
2017-11-17ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-16ND
2018-02-16ND
2018-02-16ND
2018-04-24ND
2018-05-04ND
2018-05-04ND
2018-05-04ND
2018-05-04ND
2018-05-04ND
2018-06-27ND
2018-09-04ND
2018-09-04ND
2018-09-04ND
2018-09-04ND
2018-10-17ND
2018-11-15ND
2018-11-15ND
2018-11-15ND
2018-11-15ND
2018-11-15ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-03-01ND
2019-03-01ND
2019-03-01ND
2019-04-12ND
2019-06-05ND
2019-06-05ND
2019-06-05ND
2019-06-05ND
2019-06-07ND
2019-09-05ND
2019-09-05ND
2019-09-05ND
2019-09-05ND
2019-10-22ND
2019-11-22ND
2019-11-22ND
2019-11-22ND
2019-11-22ND
2019-12-20ND