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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Trichloroethylene

United Water New York

Trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent and common groundwater pollutant, damages the immune system, harms the developing fetus and causes cancer. Read More.

Trichloroethylene was once commonly used to remove grease from metal parts, such as steel pipes and engines, and as a solvent in dry cleaning and carpet cleaning products. Drinking trichloroethylene-contaminated drinking water has been linked with birth defects, leukemia, and liver and kidney damage. Trichloroethylene is highly volatile and can enter indoor air through water in pipes. If trichloroethylene is present, people can inhale it while bathing, washing dishes and doing other household activities that involve water.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

235

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

10

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.109 ppb463ND - 1.90 ppb
20150.187 ppb474ND - 2.80 ppb
20160.112 ppb493ND - 2.10 ppb
2017ND400ND
2018ND280ND
2019ND250ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.4 ppb for trichloroethylene was defined by the state of Minnesota as health risk limit, the concentration of a contaminant that can be consumed with little or no risk to health. This health guideline protects against harm to the developing fetus and damage to the immune system.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb

The legal limit for trichloroethylene, established in 1987, 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 and harm to the developing fetus.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-02-104020267-08ND
2014-02-214020463-051.90 ppb
2014-02-214020463-10ND
2014-02-214020463-06ND
2014-02-244020517-05ND
2014-02-244020517-06ND
2014-02-244020517-04ND
2014-03-114030281-18ND
2014-04-294040884-04ND
2014-04-294040884-01ND
2014-05-054050209-05ND
2014-05-054050209-06ND
2014-05-054050209-04ND
2014-05-064050323-04ND
2014-05-154050491-02ND
2014-05-194050617-09ND
2014-05-194050617-08ND
2014-05-214050702-02ND
2014-05-294060018-07ND
2014-05-29406001808ND
2014-05-294060018-09ND
2014-07-104070375-01ND
2014-07-104070375-03ND
2014-08-124080427-10ND
2014-08-124080427-07ND
2014-08-124080427-06ND
2014-08-124080427-051.40 ppb
2014-08-134080528-05ND
2014-08-134080528-02ND
2014-08-144080528-06ND
2014-08-154080555-03ND
2014-08-224080748-05ND
2014-08-224080748-04ND
2014-08-224080748-06ND
2014-10-024100132-01ND
2014-11-034110129-03ND
2014-11-174110525-05ND
2014-11-174110525-03ND
2014-11-174110525-04ND
2014-11-174110525-12ND
2014-11-174110525-09ND
2014-11-194110596-07ND
2014-11-194110596-08ND
2014-11-194110596-061.70 ppb
2014-11-204110596-10ND
2014-11-204110596-11ND
2015-02-092054225003ND
2015-02-232056422005ND
2015-02-232056422004ND
2015-02-232056422006ND
2015-02-232056422010ND
2015-03-122059554008ND
2015-03-1220595540061.50 ppb
2015-03-122059554007ND
2015-03-242061424017ND
2015-05-042069150003ND
2015-05-1420713490001ND
2015-05-142071348001ND
2015-05-142071348002ND
2015-05-182072149005ND
2015-05-182072149007ND
2015-05-182072149006ND
2015-05-192072149014ND
2015-05-222073264007ND
2015-05-222073264008ND
2015-05-2220732640062.20 ppb
2015-05-262073267003ND
2015-05-262073267002ND
2015-07-152083234002ND
2015-07-152083234001ND
2015-08-052087362003ND
2015-08-102088899005ND
2015-08-102088899006ND
2015-08-132089831002ND
2015-08-132089831003ND
2015-08-242091321004ND
2015-08-242091321003ND
2015-08-242091321002ND
2015-08-252091845006ND
2015-08-2520918450052.30 ppb
2015-11-032106010008ND
2015-11-032106010003ND
2015-11-032106010004ND
2015-11-092106876003ND
2015-11-102108074002ND
2015-11-122108074009ND
2015-11-122108074010ND
2015-11-1221080740082.80 ppb
2015-11-182108935001ND
2015-11-302111159005ND
2015-11-302111159006ND
2015-11-302111159002ND
2015-11-302111159007ND
2016-02-067020254-05ND
2016-02-082123459009ND
2016-02-102124199003ND
2016-02-222126219003ND
2016-02-222126219005ND
2016-02-222126219004ND
2016-02-2321262190132.10 ppb
2016-02-232126219015ND
2016-02-232126219014ND
2016-03-092129586001ND
2016-03-292133163002ND
2016-03-292133163003ND
2016-05-042142061003ND
2016-05-052142061017ND
2016-05-172144843007ND
2016-05-182145645011ND
2016-05-1821456450052.00 ppb
2016-05-182145645009ND
2016-05-182145645007ND
2016-05-182145645006ND
2016-05-192145645012ND
2016-05-312147820005ND
2016-05-312147820007ND
2016-05-312147820006ND
2016-06-082150495004ND
2016-07-062157552001ND
2016-07-062157554001ND
2016-08-052165416002ND
2016-08-052165416004ND
2016-08-092166271006ND
2016-08-0921662710051.40 ppb
2016-08-092166271007ND
2016-08-152168205001ND
2016-08-232169973001ND
2016-08-262171009004ND
2016-08-262171009003ND
2016-08-262171009002ND
2016-08-262171009009ND
2016-10-052180790002ND
2016-11-012186417007ND
2016-11-012186417009ND
2016-11-012186417008ND
2016-11-022187122008ND
2016-11-022187122003ND
2016-11-022187122005ND
2016-11-032187122013ND
2016-11-152189833008ND
2016-11-152189833006ND
2016-11-152189833007ND
2017-01-137010363-01ND
2017-02-087020323-03ND
2017-02-217020617-05ND
2017-02-217020617-06ND
2017-02-227020695-06ND
2017-02-227020695-07ND
2017-05-157060578-02ND
2017-05-167050627-07ND
2017-05-167050627-08ND
2017-05-177050745-02ND
2017-05-187050745-07ND
2017-05-187050745-08ND
2017-05-187050745-11ND
2017-05-267051020-02ND
2017-05-307051020-04ND
2017-06-124060489-09ND
2017-06-144060579-03ND
2017-07-057070054-01ND
2017-07-057070055-01ND
2017-08-077080360-09ND
2017-08-077080360-08ND
2017-08-087080356-02ND
2017-08-087080360-13ND
2017-08-227080864-05ND
2017-08-247080944-05ND
2017-08-247080944-04ND
2017-08-247081009-03ND
2017-08-247080944-03ND
2017-08-257081009-05ND
2017-10-027100020-01ND
2017-11-147110565-02ND
2017-11-147110666-13ND
2017-11-157110565-05ND
2017-11-157110563-01ND
2017-11-167110666-01ND
2017-11-167110666-11ND
2017-11-167110666-10ND
2017-11-177110743-09ND
2017-11-177110743-02ND
2017-11-177110743-01ND
2018-02-058020230-01ND
2018-02-208020755-03ND
2018-02-208020755-02ND
2018-02-208020755-04ND
2018-02-238020753-04ND
2018-02-238020753-03ND
2018-06-198060853-01ND
2018-08-068080372-04ND
2018-08-068080372-03ND
2018-08-068080372-05ND
2018-08-218080922-01ND
2018-08-218080922-04ND
2018-08-228081081-04ND
2018-08-228081081-06ND
2018-08-228081081-09ND
2018-08-238081082-01GND
2018-08-238081082-01FND
2018-09-178090630-01ND
2018-11-158110666-04ND
2018-11-158110666-02ND
2018-11-158110666-03ND
2018-11-218110942-04ND
2018-11-218110942-02ND
2018-11-288111045-02ND
2018-11-298111169-14ND
2018-12-298111169-07ND
2018-12-298111169-09ND
2018-12-298111169-08ND
2019-01-119010407-01ND
2019-02-199020744-03ND
2019-02-199020744-04ND
2019-02-199020744-02ND
2019-02-209020744-10ND
2019-02-219020828-03ND
2019-02-219020828-04ND
2019-05-039050196-02ND
2019-05-039050196-04ND
2019-05-139050573-01ND
2019-05-139050573-02ND
2019-05-149050721-07ND
2019-05-149050721-02ND
2019-05-299051377-02ND
2019-05-299051377-05ND
2019-08-059080164-02ND
2019-08-069051377-05ND
2019-08-089080497-03ND
2019-08-089080497-04ND
2019-08-089080497-07ND
2019-08-199050721-07ND
2019-08-209050196-02ND
2019-08-209050196-04ND
2019-08-239081231-05ND
2019-08-239081231-02ND