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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Bourne Water District

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

 

178

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

66

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014N/A00N/A
20150.326 ppb3212ND - 1.52 ppb
20160.562 ppb3116ND - 1.68 ppb
20170.299 ppb4314ND - 1.59 ppb
20180.415 ppb3812ND - 2.42 ppb
20190.308 ppb3412ND - 1.64 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 Result
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-210.520 ppb
2015-01-211.52 ppb
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-210.820 ppb
2015-01-211.15 ppb
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-210.610 ppb
2015-01-210.620 ppb
2015-01-210.620 ppb
2015-01-211.14 ppb
2015-01-211.01 ppb
2015-01-210.900 ppb
2015-05-04ND
2015-05-04ND
2015-05-04ND
2015-05-04ND
2015-08-10ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-13ND
2015-10-19ND
2015-10-190.860 ppb
2015-10-190.660 ppb
2016-01-22ND
2016-01-221.32 ppb
2016-01-220.630 ppb
2016-01-221.36 ppb
2016-01-22ND
2016-01-220.690 ppb
2016-01-22ND
2016-01-221.52 ppb
2016-01-220.670 ppb
2016-01-22ND
2016-01-221.09 ppb
2016-01-221.68 ppb
2016-01-220.780 ppb
2016-01-221.27 ppb
2016-01-221.03 ppb
2016-01-221.53 ppb
2016-01-261.02 ppb
2016-05-09ND
2016-05-09ND
2016-05-09ND
2016-05-090.540 ppb
2016-07-19ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-11-101.03 ppb
2016-11-101.25 ppb
2016-11-10ND
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-190.990 ppb
2017-01-190.570 ppb
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-190.980 ppb
2017-01-191.06 ppb
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-190.610 ppb
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-190.660 ppb
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-191.59 ppb
2017-01-190.690 ppb
2017-01-191.41 ppb
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-190.690 ppb
2017-01-190.900 ppb
2017-01-191.10 ppb
2017-01-19ND
2017-01-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-03ND
2017-10-04ND
2017-10-04ND
2017-10-04ND
2017-10-04ND
2017-10-040.800 ppb
2017-10-040.800 ppb
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-101.99 ppb
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-100.760 ppb
2018-01-102.42 ppb
2018-01-100.710 ppb
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-101.32 ppb
2018-01-101.12 ppb
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-102.33 ppb
2018-01-100.760 ppb
2018-01-100.770 ppb
2018-01-100.980 ppb
2018-01-101.43 ppb
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-07-12ND
2018-10-18ND
2018-10-181.19 ppb
2018-10-18ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2018-10-22ND
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-170.680 ppb
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-170.690 ppb
2019-01-170.920 ppb
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-170.530 ppb
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-17ND
2019-01-170.530 ppb
2019-01-171.64 ppb
2019-01-170.640 ppb
2019-01-170.600 ppb
2019-01-171.33 ppb
2019-01-171.08 ppb
2019-01-23ND
2019-05-08ND
2019-05-08ND
2019-05-080.540 ppb
2019-05-08ND
2019-05-08ND
2019-07-26ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-19ND
2019-11-20ND
2019-11-201.29 ppb
2019-11-20ND