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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

California American Water Company - Parkway

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

 

216

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

22

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.400 ppb557ND - 4.00 ppb
2015ND310ND
2016ND290ND
2017ND280ND
20180.550 ppb6413ND - 4.40 ppb
20190.711 ppb92ND - 4.10 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
2014-01-221225-012-12102.90 ppb
2014-01-221225-029-1216ND
2014-01-221225-030-1218ND
2014-02-191225-013-1212ND
2014-02-191225-018-0930ND
2014-02-191225-024-1000ND
2014-02-191225-026-1048ND
2014-02-191225-034-1125ND
2014-02-261225-012-11222.30 ppb
2014-02-261225-029-1132ND
2014-02-261225-030-1142ND
2014-03-111225-012-10502.90 ppb
2014-03-111225-029-1057ND
2014-03-111225-030-1105ND
2014-04-081225-012-10563.20 ppb
2014-04-081225-029-1102ND
2014-04-081225-030-1111ND
2014-05-071225-018-1135ND
2014-05-071225-024-1100ND
2014-05-071225-026-1120ND
2014-05-071225-034-1200ND
2014-05-081225-012-08503.50 ppb
2014-05-081225-029-0855ND
2014-05-081225-030-0900ND
2014-05-131225-013-1330ND
2014-06-251225-012-10103.20 ppb
2014-06-251225-029-1015ND
2014-06-251225-030-1020ND
2014-08-041225-032-1120ND
2014-08-041225-033-1020ND
2014-08-041225-034-1315ND
2014-08-051225-021-1145ND
2014-08-051225-022-1155ND
2014-08-051225-023-1210ND
2014-08-051225-025-1225ND
2014-08-111225-006-1140ND
2014-08-111225-016-0930ND
2014-08-111225-018-1205ND
2014-08-111225-024-1225ND
2014-08-111225-026-1110ND
2014-08-121225-002-0950ND
2014-08-121225-008-0920ND
2014-08-121225-011-1110ND
2014-08-121225-014-1030ND
2014-08-121225-015-1150ND
2014-08-121225-017-1115ND
2014-08-141225-013-0840ND
2014-12-021225-018-1300ND
2014-12-021225-024-1240ND
2014-12-021225-026-1250ND
2014-12-021225-034-1230ND
2014-12-161225-013-1050ND
2014-12-181225-012-11004.00 ppb
2014-12-181225-029-1105ND
2014-12-181225-030-1110ND
2015-02-101225-013-1120ND
2015-02-101225-018-1020ND
2015-02-101225-024-1040ND
2015-02-101225-026-0950ND
2015-02-101225-034-1415ND
2015-04-131225-013-1140ND
2015-04-231225-018-0925ND
2015-04-231225-024-1020ND
2015-04-231225-026-0950ND
2015-04-231225-034-1040ND
2015-07-151225-002-0940ND
2015-07-201225-008-0930ND
2015-07-201225-013-0845ND
2015-07-201225-024-1150ND
2015-07-201225-034-1130ND
2015-07-221225-018-0925ND
2015-07-221225-026-1000ND
2015-08-111225-006-1500ND
2015-08-111225-015-0900ND
2015-08-111225-016-0915ND
2015-08-111225-017-0900ND
2015-08-111225-033-0925ND
2015-08-171225-011-0950ND
2015-08-171225-014-1335ND
2015-08-191225-021-1030ND
2015-08-191225-022-1040ND
2015-08-191225-023-1055ND
2015-08-191225-032-1020ND
2015-09-221225-025-1245ND
2015-10-271225-018-1510ND
2015-10-271225-024-1420ND
2016-02-161225-018-0900ND
2016-02-161225-024-0850ND
2016-02-161225-034-0915ND
2016-03-221225-026-1130ND
2016-04-111225-018-1350ND
2016-04-111225-026-1320ND
2016-04-281225-034-1130ND
2016-06-141225-024-0815ND
2016-07-061225-002-0815ND
2016-07-061225-008-0737ND
2016-07-061225-011-0900ND
2016-07-061225-015-1040ND
2016-07-121225-016-0915ND
2016-07-121225-017-0925ND
2016-07-121225-021-1015ND
2016-07-121225-022-1030ND
2016-07-121225-023-1000ND
2016-07-121225-025-1055ND
2016-07-121225-032-1120ND
2016-07-121225-033-0940ND
2016-07-251225-006-1150ND
2016-07-251225-018-1115ND
2016-07-251225-026-1130ND
2016-07-251225-034-1220ND
2016-07-271225-024-1130ND
2016-10-101225-018-0842ND
2016-10-101225-024-0900ND
2016-10-101225-026-0825ND
2016-10-101225-034-0910ND
2017-02-151225-018-0903ND
2017-02-151225-024-1233ND
2017-02-151225-034-0853ND
2017-04-111225-034-0908ND
2017-05-081225-024-1355ND
2017-05-091225-018-0955ND
2017-08-151225-002-1125ND
2017-08-151225-008-1200ND
2017-08-151225-011-1030ND
2017-08-151225-015-0950ND
2017-08-151225-016-0934ND
2017-08-151225-017-1012ND
2017-08-151225-033-0942ND
2017-08-161225-018-1223ND
2017-08-161225-021-0853ND
2017-08-161225-023-0933ND
2017-08-161225-024-1141ND
2017-08-161225-025-0953ND
2017-08-161225-026-1206ND
2017-08-161225-032-0843ND
2017-08-161225-034-1130ND
2017-09-281225-013-1150ND
2017-11-131225-018-1125ND
2017-11-131225-024-1045ND
2017-11-131225-034-1030ND
2017-12-061225-006-0955ND
2017-12-061225-013-1030ND
2017-12-061225-014-1330ND
2018-01-101225-030-1110ND
2018-02-131225-022-0910ND
2018-02-141225-012-11232.30 ppb
2018-02-141225-029-1127ND
2018-02-141225-030-1132ND
2018-02-191225-018-0930ND
2018-02-191225-024-0905ND
2018-02-191225-034-0920ND
2018-03-121225-012-12182.40 ppb
2018-03-121225-029-1222ND
2018-03-121225-030-1225ND
2018-03-301225-013-1200ND
2018-04-041225-012-11001.60 ppb
2018-04-041233-012-11002.10 ppb
2018-04-041233-029-1108ND
2018-04-041225-029-1110ND
2018-04-041225-030-1115ND
2018-04-041233-030-1115ND
2018-05-031225-012-10052.70 ppb
2018-05-031233-012-10202.20 ppb
2018-05-031225-018-1000ND
2018-05-031225-024-1015ND
2018-05-031225-029-1013ND
2018-05-031233-029-1025ND
2018-05-031233-030-1030ND
2018-05-031225-034-0950ND
2018-06-181225-012-12252.50 ppb
2018-06-181225-029-1230ND
2018-06-191225-013-1315ND
2018-07-191233-012-10452.40 ppb
2018-07-191233-029-1050ND
2018-07-191233-030-1055ND
2018-08-081225-002-1110ND
2018-08-081233-012-12103.30 ppb
2018-08-081233-029-1215ND
2018-08-081233-030-1220ND
2018-08-091225-006-1140ND
2018-08-091225-016-0930ND
2018-08-091225-017-0835ND
2018-08-141225-008-1110ND
2018-08-141225-011-0900ND
2018-08-141225-013-1145ND
2018-08-141225-015-1020ND
2018-08-141225-021-1005ND
2018-08-141225-022-0910ND
2018-08-141225-023-0830ND
2018-08-141225-025-0740ND
2018-08-151225-018-1210ND
2018-08-151225-024-1250ND
2018-08-151225-026-1210ND
2018-08-151225-032-0905ND
2018-08-161225-033-0755ND
2018-09-181233-012-09352.70 ppb
2018-09-181233-029-0940ND
2018-09-181233-030-0945ND
2018-10-101233-012-11302.80 ppb
2018-10-101233-029-1135ND
2018-10-101233-030-1140ND
2018-11-061233-012-13403.80 ppb
2018-11-061233-029-1345ND
2018-11-061233-030-1350ND
2018-12-111233-012-13204.40 ppb
2018-12-111233-029-1325ND
2018-12-111233-030-1330ND
2019-01-171233-012-08204.10 ppb
2019-01-171233-029-0825ND
2019-01-171233-030-0830ND
2019-02-111225-034-1310ND
2019-02-181233-012-13152.30 ppb
2019-02-181233-029-1320ND
2019-02-181233-030-1325ND
2019-08-051225-033-1150ND
2019-08-061225-032-1050ND