Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Childersburg Water & Sewer Board

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.

 

27

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND50ND
20200.800 ppb51ND - 4.00 ppb
20210.600 ppb51ND - 3.00 ppb
20220.650 ppb41ND - 2.60 ppb
20230.925 ppb41ND - 3.70 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-02-271802-00459-7ND
2018-02-271802-00459-3ND
2018-06-121806-00161-1ND
2018-11-131811-00259-001ND
2019-03-191903-00325-003ND
2019-03-191903-00325-005ND
2019-03-191903-00325-008ND
2019-06-111906-00202-009ND
2019-12-101912-00217-002ND
2020-03-172003-00303-003ND
2020-03-172003-00303-005ND
2020-03-172003-00303-008ND
2020-06-292007-00159-0014.00 ppb
2020-11-102011-00177-001ND
2021-02-232102-00375-002ND
2021-02-232102-00375-004ND
2021-02-232102-00375-007ND
2021-05-252105-00464-0013.00 ppb
2021-11-302111-00469-001ND
2022-03-012203-00025-003ND
2022-03-012203-00025-007ND
2022-05-312205-00519-0052.60 ppb
2022-11-152211-00289-003ND
2023-01-242301-00427-006ND
2023-01-242301-00427-007ND
2023-06-132306-00236-0013.70 ppb
2023-10-242310-00434-001ND