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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

City of Mesa

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

 

114

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

17

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.340 ppb105ND - 1.10 ppb
20150.257 ppb215ND - 1.20 ppb
20160.379 ppb83ND - 1.08 ppb
2017ND60ND
20180.0588 ppb332ND - 1.11 ppb
20190.0289 ppb362ND - 0.530 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
2014-02-12140204030.500 ppb
2014-04-1414040462V0.700 ppb
2014-04-1514040513V1.10 ppb
2014-04-2114040565VND
2014-04-2214040548VND
2014-04-2214040549VND
2014-08-0414080001ND
2014-08-04140800020.500 ppb
2014-10-0814100299ND
2014-12-02141200400.600 ppb
2015-02-0415020072ND
2015-02-0915020157ND
2015-02-11150204410.900 ppb
2015-04-0715040249VND
2015-04-0715040272VND
2015-04-1415040400VND
2015-04-1415040401V1.20 ppb
2015-04-2115040606VND
2015-04-2115040607VND
2015-04-2715040701VND
2015-04-2915040771VND
2015-07-0715070119ND
2015-07-0715070120ND
2015-07-13150702471.09 ppb
2015-07-1415070252ND
2015-07-2115070448V1.12 ppb
2015-10-06151000551.08 ppb
2015-10-1215100147ND
2015-10-1415100210ND
2015-10-1415100211ND
2015-10-2115100530ND
2016-05-1116050438A1.08 ppb
2016-05-1116050438V1.08 ppb
2016-06-0816060165ND
2016-07-1416070145VND
2016-07-1816070507V0.870 ppb
2016-08-1116080427ND
2016-08-1116080428ND
2016-11-2216110466ND
2017-04-1117040387VOCND
2017-05-2517050671VOCND
2017-07-1017070232VOCND
2017-07-1117070293VOCND
2017-08-2117080520VOCND
2017-10-1217100475ND
2018-02-0818020378ND
2018-04-0218030942 VOCND
2018-04-04180309481.11 ppb
2018-04-0918040098 VOCND
2018-04-0918040100 VOCND
2018-04-1018040101 VOCND
2018-04-16180402200.830 ppb
2018-04-1618040222 VOCND
2018-04-1718040223 VOCND
2018-04-1718040224 VOCND
2018-04-2418040502 VOCND
2018-04-2418040503 VOCND
2018-04-2418040504 VOCND
2018-04-3018040540 VOCND
2018-05-1018050425 VOCND
2018-06-2018060699ND
2018-08-0718080202 VOCND
2018-08-2818080812ND
2018-10-1118100452ND
2018-10-1518100484ND
2018-10-1518100506ND
2018-10-1618100517ND
2018-10-1618100519ND
2018-10-1718100557ND
2018-10-1818100597ND
2018-10-1818100599ND
2018-10-2218100638ND
2018-10-2218100640ND
2018-10-2318100673ND
2018-10-2418100681ND
2018-10-2418100683ND
2018-10-2918100752ND
2018-11-2618110640ND
2019-01-1519010482ND
2019-02-0519020066ND
2019-03-2719030653ND
2019-03-2719030655ND
2019-03-2719030656ND
2019-04-0219040022ND
2019-04-0219040024ND
2019-04-0819040182ND
2019-04-09190402100.510 ppb
2019-04-0919040212ND
2019-04-1019040260ND
2019-04-1119040287ND
2019-04-1519040331ND
2019-04-1519040333ND
2019-04-1619040352ND
2019-04-1619040354ND
2019-04-2219040453ND
2019-04-2419040522ND
2019-04-2519040547ND
2019-08-0119070873ND
2019-08-0119070875ND
2019-08-05190800170.530 ppb
2019-08-0519080019ND
2019-08-0819080127ND
2019-08-0819080129ND
2019-08-1219080178ND
2019-08-1319080202ND
2019-08-1419080234ND
2019-08-1519080278ND
2019-08-1519080280ND
2019-08-2019080335ND
2019-08-2119080577ND
2019-08-2619080657ND
2019-09-1919090600ND
2019-10-2919100742ND
2019-11-2119110603ND