Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)
City of Scottsdale
Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.
Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | ND | 16 | 0 | ND |
2015 | ND | 10 | 0 | ND |
2016 | ND | 10 | 0 | ND |
2017 | ND | 17 | 0 | ND |
2018 | ND | 17 | 0 | ND |
2019 | ND | 19 | 0 | ND |
ppb = parts per billion
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb
The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) 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 dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.
ppb = parts per billion
All test results
Date | Lab ID | Result |
---|---|---|
2014-02-05 | AB45662 | ND |
2014-02-05 | AB45661 | ND |
2014-02-05 | AB45660 | ND |
2014-02-05 | AB45659 | ND |
2014-02-12 | AB45865 | ND |
2014-02-13 | AB45913 | ND |
2014-03-18 | 4031529-01V | ND |
2014-03-19 | 4031630-01V | ND |
2014-06-03 | AB48513V | ND |
2014-06-12 | AB48763V | ND |
2014-08-05 | AB49916 | ND |
2014-08-06 | 4080551-01V | ND |
2014-08-07 | AB49988 | ND |
2014-08-27 | AB50551 | ND |
2014-11-10 | AB52409V | ND |
2014-11-18 | AB52684V | ND |
2015-01-26 | 5012122-01V | ND |
2015-03-04 | AB55258V | ND |
2015-03-04 | AB55247 | ND |
2015-05-19 | AB57090V | ND |
2015-06-15 | AB57584V | ND |
2015-07-22 | AB58586 | ND |
2015-07-28 | AB58723 | ND |
2015-09-23 | AB60333 | ND |
2015-11-11 | AB61680 | ND |
2015-12-07 | AB62200 | ND |
2016-01-12 | AB62917 | ND |
2016-03-07 | AB64247 | ND |
2016-03-07 | AB64246 | ND |
2016-06-09 | 550-65006-1 | ND |
2016-06-09 | 550-65005-1 | ND |
2016-08-22 | 550-68726-1V | ND |
2016-08-25 | 550-68729-1V | ND |
2016-08-31 | AB68676V | ND |
2016-12-06 | AB71090 | ND |
2016-12-27 | 550-74974-1 | ND |
2017-01-23 | AB72209 | ND |
2017-01-31 | AB72398 | ND |
2017-01-31 | AB72396 | ND |
2017-03-13 | AB73529 | ND |
2017-04-11 | AB74281VOC | ND |
2017-04-18 | AB74456VOC | ND |
2017-05-03 | AB74954VOC | ND |
2017-05-03 | AB74952VOC | ND |
2017-05-11 | AB75252VOC | ND |
2017-05-25 | AB75560VOC | ND |
2017-06-29 | AB76530VOC | ND |
2017-06-29 | AB76529VOC | ND |
2017-07-10 | AB76770VOC | ND |
2017-07-10 | AB76769VOC | ND |
2017-08-09 | AB77831 | ND |
2017-10-10 | 550-91495-1 | ND |
2017-11-01 | 550-92599-1 | ND |
2018-01-04 | AB81857 VOC | ND |
2018-01-08 | AB81931 VOC | ND |
2018-01-31 | AB82425 VOC | ND |
2018-03-15 | 550-99669-1 VOC | ND |
2018-04-04 | 550-101241-1 VOC | ND |
2018-04-09 | 550-101240-1 VOC | ND |
2018-07-26 | 550-106958-1 VOC | ND |
2018-07-31 | 550-106957-1 VOC | ND |
2018-08-06 | AB87231 VOC | ND |
2018-08-06 | AB87230 VOC | ND |
2018-08-22 | 550-108523-1 | ND |
2018-09-13 | AB88206 VOC | ND |
2018-10-08 | AB88718 VOC | ND |
2018-10-16 | AB88953 VOC | ND |
2018-10-16 | AB88952 VOC | ND |
2018-10-25 | AB89225 VOC | ND |
2018-10-30 | AB89327 VOC | ND |
2019-01-08 | AB90901 VOC | ND |
2019-01-28 | AB91381 VOC | ND |
2019-02-20 | AB91936 VOC | ND |
2019-02-21 | AB91994 VOC | ND |
2019-03-11 | 550-119823-1 | ND |
2019-03-14 | 550-119827-1 | ND |
2019-03-28 | AB92855 VOC | ND |
2019-05-15 | AB93968 VOC | ND |
2019-06-06 | AB94449 VOC | ND |
2019-06-20 | AB94661 VOC | ND |
2019-06-25 | 550-124885-2 | ND |
2019-06-25 | 550-124885-1 | ND |
2019-08-19 | AB96017 VOC | ND |
2019-08-19 | AB96016 VOC | ND |
2019-08-22 | AB96146 VOC | ND |
2019-09-05 | AB96446 VOC | ND |
2019-10-29 | AB98016 VOC | ND |
2019-10-29 | AB98015 VOC | ND |
2019-11-07 | AB98318 VOC | ND |