Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Valley Utilities Water Company Glendale

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.

 

14

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND50ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND10ND

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
2018-03-01201803010276VND
2018-03-01201803010277VND
2018-03-07201803070704VND
2018-03-07201803070705VND
2021-03-03202103040010VND
2021-03-03202103040011VND
2021-03-03202103040012VND
2021-03-11202103120008VND
2021-06-1021F1545-01ND
2022-02-02202202030108VND
2022-04-27202204280128VND
2022-07-07380-7658-1ND
2022-10-05380-23186-1ND
2023-02-02380-36417-3ND