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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

New Philadelphia City PWS

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

 

140

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

45

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.0740 ppb253ND - 0.690 ppb
20150.444 ppb2410ND - 2.45 ppb
20160.691 ppb2410ND - 3.87 ppb
20170.595 ppb2410ND - 3.56 ppb
20180.227 ppb245ND - 2.01 ppb
20190.596 ppb197ND - 4.09 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
2014-03-1214031298ND
2014-03-1214031299ND
2014-03-1214031300ND
2014-03-1214031301ND
2014-03-1214031302ND
2014-05-1314051927ND
2014-05-1314051928ND
2014-05-13140519290.690 ppb
2014-05-1314051930ND
2014-05-1314051931ND
2014-08-2614083001ND
2014-08-2614083002ND
2014-08-2614083003ND
2014-08-2614083004ND
2014-08-2614083005ND
2014-08-2614083006ND
2014-08-2614083007ND
2014-08-2614083008ND
2014-08-2614083009ND
2014-08-2714083010ND
2014-11-05141104160.550 ppb
2014-11-0514110417ND
2014-11-05141104180.610 ppb
2014-11-0514110419ND
2014-11-0514110420ND
2015-03-11150312881.24 ppb
2015-03-1115031289ND
2015-03-11150312901.02 ppb
2015-03-1115031291ND
2015-03-1115031292ND
2015-05-13150515421.39 ppb
2015-05-1315051543ND
2015-05-13150515441.24 ppb
2015-05-1315051545ND
2015-05-1315051546ND
2015-07-29150740570.600 ppb
2015-07-2915074058ND
2015-07-29150740590.530 ppb
2015-07-2915074060ND
2015-07-2915074061ND
2015-07-2915074062ND
2015-07-29150740630.990 ppb
2015-07-2915074064ND
2015-07-29150740652.45 ppb
2015-11-04151102770.610 ppb
2015-11-0415110278ND
2015-11-04151102790.580 ppb
2015-11-0415110280ND
2015-11-0415110281ND
2016-02-03160202700.960 ppb
2016-02-0316020271ND
2016-02-03160202720.910 ppb
2016-02-0316020273ND
2016-02-0316020274ND
2016-05-18160519950.620 ppb
2016-05-1816051996ND
2016-05-18160519970.620 ppb
2016-05-1816051998ND
2016-05-1816051999ND
2016-08-01160800521.84 ppb
2016-08-0116080053ND
2016-08-01160800541.73 ppb
2016-08-0116080055ND
2016-08-0116080056ND
2016-08-0116080057ND
2016-08-01160800581.48 ppb
2016-08-0116080059ND
2016-08-01160800603.87 ppb
2016-11-14161115452.52 ppb
2016-11-1416111546ND
2016-11-14161115472.04 ppb
2016-11-1416111548ND
2016-11-1416111549ND
2017-03-02170302380.870 ppb
2017-03-0217030239ND
2017-03-02170302400.820 ppb
2017-03-0217030241ND
2017-03-0217030242ND
2017-05-01170500720.870 ppb
2017-05-0117050073ND
2017-05-01170500740.780 ppb
2017-05-0117050075ND
2017-05-0117050076ND
2017-07-03170700300.790 ppb
2017-07-0317070031ND
2017-07-03170700320.620 ppb
2017-07-0317070033ND
2017-07-0317070034ND
2017-07-0317070037ND
2017-07-03170700361.82 ppb
2017-07-0317070035ND
2017-07-03170700383.56 ppb
2017-11-09171109472.15 ppb
2017-11-0917110948ND
2017-11-09171109491.99 ppb
2017-11-0917110950ND
2017-11-0917110951ND
2018-01-18180115970.500 ppb
2018-01-1818011598ND
2018-01-18180115990.640 ppb
2018-01-1818011600ND
2018-01-1818011601ND
2018-04-02180400342.01 ppb
2018-04-0218040035ND
2018-04-02180400361.52 ppb
2018-04-0218040037ND
2018-04-0218040038ND
2018-07-0218070046ND
2018-07-0218070047ND
2018-07-0218070048ND
2018-07-0218070049ND
2018-07-0218070050ND
2018-07-0218070051ND
2018-07-0218070052ND
2018-07-0218070053ND
2018-07-0218070054ND
2018-11-0618110469ND
2018-11-0618110470ND
2018-11-06181104710.770 ppb
2018-11-0618110472ND
2018-11-0618110473ND
2019-01-11190113200.570 ppb
2019-01-1119011321ND
2019-01-1119011322ND
2019-01-1119011323ND
2019-01-1119011324ND
2019-04-01190402331.54 ppb
2019-04-0119040234ND
2019-04-01190402351.28 ppb
2019-04-0119040236ND
2019-04-0119040237ND
2019-07-01190703781.65 ppb
2019-07-0119070379ND
2019-07-01190703801.10 ppb
2019-07-0119070381ND
2019-07-0119070386ND
2019-07-0119070385ND
2019-07-01190703841.09 ppb
2019-07-0119070383ND
2019-07-01190703824.09 ppb