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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Carbon tetrachloride

City of Tucson

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

258

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND70ND
2015ND70ND
2016ND1170ND
2017ND90ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND1100ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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 carbon tetrachloride, established in 1987, 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 carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-21L140047-01ND
2014-04-09L140417-01ND
2014-04-09L140418-01ND
2014-04-16L140450-03ND
2014-07-09L140809-02ND
2014-08-12L140973-13ND
2014-11-18L141360-13ND
2015-02-10L150184-01VND
2015-04-14L150434-02ND
2015-04-27L150516-04ND
2015-04-30L150518-05ND
2015-07-28L150906-01ND
2015-08-25L151011-01ND
2015-11-17L151339-01ND
2016-01-11L160042-01ND
2016-01-11L160042-03ND
2016-01-11L160042-04ND
2016-01-12L160043-01ND
2016-01-12L160043-02ND
2016-01-12L160043-03ND
2016-01-12L160043-04ND
2016-01-12L160043-05ND
2016-01-13L160045-01ND
2016-01-13L160045-02ND
2016-01-13L160045-04ND
2016-01-13L160045-05ND
2016-01-14L160046-01ND
2016-01-14L160046-03ND
2016-01-14L160046-04ND
2016-01-14L160046-05ND
2016-01-19L160066-01ND
2016-01-19L160066-02ND
2016-01-19L160066-03ND
2016-01-19L160066-05ND
2016-01-20L160068-01ND
2016-01-20L160068-02ND
2016-01-20L160068-03ND
2016-01-20L160068-04ND
2016-01-20L160068-05ND
2016-01-21L160069-01ND
2016-01-21L160069-02ND
2016-01-21L160069-03ND
2016-01-21L160069-04ND
2016-01-21L160069-05ND
2016-01-25L160091-01ND
2016-01-25L160091-02ND
2016-01-25L160091-03ND
2016-01-25L160091-04ND
2016-01-25L160091-05ND
2016-01-26L160092-01ND
2016-01-26L160092-02ND
2016-01-26L160092-03ND
2016-01-26L160092-04ND
2016-01-26L160092-05ND
2016-01-27L160094-01ND
2016-01-27L160094-02ND
2016-01-27L160094-04ND
2016-01-27L160094-05ND
2016-01-28L160104-03ND
2016-01-28L160104-04ND
2016-01-28L160104-05ND
2016-01-28L160118-01VND
2016-02-01L160119-01VND
2016-02-01L160119-03ND
2016-02-01L160119-04VND
2016-02-02L160122-01VND
2016-02-02L160122-02VND
2016-02-02L160122-03ND
2016-02-02L160122-04VND
2016-02-02L160122-05VND
2016-02-03L160123-01ND
2016-02-03L160123-04ND
2016-02-04L160125-01ND
2016-02-04L160125-02ND
2016-02-04L160125-03ND
2016-02-04L160125-04ND
2016-02-08L160143-02ND
2016-02-08L160143-03ND
2016-02-08L160143-05ND
2016-02-09L160144-02ND
2016-02-09L160144-03ND
2016-02-09L160144-05ND
2016-02-10L160145-03ND
2016-02-10L160145-04ND
2016-02-10L160145-05ND
2016-02-11L160148-02ND
2016-02-11L160148-04ND
2016-02-11L160148-05ND
2016-02-11L160171-01ND
2016-02-16L160172-03VND
2016-02-16L160172-04ND
2016-02-17L160173-01ND
2016-02-17L160173-02ND
2016-02-18L160178-04VND
2016-02-19L160196-01ND
2016-02-19L160196-02ND
2016-02-19L160196-03ND
2016-02-23L160210-01VND
2016-02-23L160210-02VND
2016-02-23L160210-03VND
2016-02-24L160211-01ND
2016-02-24L160211-02ND
2016-02-24L160211-03ND
2016-02-25L160212-03VND
2016-02-29L160245-01VND
2016-02-29L160245-02VND
2016-03-01L160246-03ND
2016-03-02L160247-01VND
2016-03-07L160268-02ND
2016-03-10L160280-01ND
2016-03-10L160280-02ND
2016-03-10L160280-03ND
2016-04-19L160455-01ND
2016-04-20L160468-01VND
2016-04-27L160497-01ND
2016-04-27L160497-03ND
2016-04-27L160497-04ND
2016-04-28L160498-02ND
2016-04-28L160498-03ND
2016-05-05L160525-02VND
2016-05-31L160656-01ND
2016-05-31L160656-02ND
2016-06-14L160697-01ND
2016-06-16L160723-01ND
2016-07-20L160867-04ND
2016-07-26L160900-05ND
2016-08-09L160966-05ND
2016-08-30L161082-04ND
2016-10-04L161215-05ND
2016-10-05L161216-04ND
2016-10-12L161229-01ND
2017-01-19L170054-03VND
2017-02-14L170197-01ND
2017-02-27L170267-01ND
2017-04-03L170450-04ND
2017-04-04L170451-03ND
2017-07-31L170993-03ND
2017-10-02L171300-04ND
2017-11-22L171522-01ND
2017-11-22L171522-02ND
2018-01-22L180089-01ND
2018-01-23L180090-01ND
2018-02-01L180128-06ND
2018-02-08L180170-01VOCND
2018-05-30L180728-02ND
2018-05-30L180728-04 VOCND
2018-09-19L181264-01ND
2018-10-30L181454-01 VOCND
2019-03-19L190423-01ND
2019-04-01L190499-02-06131ND
2019-04-01L190499-03-06131ND
2019-04-01L190499-05-06131ND
2019-04-01L190499-06-06131ND
2019-04-04L190541-01-06131ND
2019-04-11L190512-01-06131ND
2019-04-11L190512-02-06131ND
2019-04-11L190512-03-06131ND
2019-04-11L190512-04-06131ND
2019-04-15L190597-01-06131ND
2019-04-15L190597-02-06131ND
2019-04-15L190597-03-06131ND
2019-04-15L190597-04-06131ND
2019-04-17L190610-01-06131ND
2019-04-17L190610-03-06131ND
2019-04-18L190624-01-06131ND
2019-04-18L190624-02-06131ND
2019-04-18L190624-03-06131ND
2019-04-23L190640-01-06131ND
2019-04-23L190640-02-06131ND
2019-04-23L190640-03-06131ND
2019-04-23L190640-04-06131ND
2019-04-24L190645-01-14130ND
2019-04-24L190645-02-14130ND
2019-04-24L190645-03-14130ND
2019-04-25L190648-01-14130ND
2019-04-25L190648-02-14130ND
2019-04-25L190648-03-14130ND
2019-04-30L190670-01-14130ND
2019-04-30L190670-02-14130ND
2019-04-30L190670-03-14130ND
2019-05-01L190678-02-14130ND
2019-05-01L190678-03-14130ND
2019-05-01L190678-04-14130ND
2019-05-02L190690-01-14130ND
2019-05-02L190690-02-14130ND
2019-05-02L190690-03-14130ND
2019-05-06L190704-03-14130ND
2019-05-07L190712-01-14130ND
2019-05-07L190712-02-14130ND
2019-05-07L190712-03-14130ND
2019-05-08L190725-01-14130ND
2019-05-08L190725-02-14130ND
2019-05-09L190728-01-20121ND
2019-05-13L190741-01-20121ND
2019-05-13L190741-02-20121ND
2019-05-14L190748-01-20121ND
2019-05-14L190748-01-20140ND
2019-05-14L190748-02-20121ND
2019-05-15L190761-01-20121ND
2019-05-15L190761-02-20121ND
2019-05-15L190761-03-20121ND
2019-05-16L190767-01-20121ND
2019-05-20L190783-02-20121ND
2019-05-20L190783-03-20121ND
2019-05-28L190813-01-06260ND
2019-05-28L190813-02-06260ND
2019-05-28L190813-03-06260ND
2019-05-28L190813-04-06260ND
2019-05-30L190835-01-06260ND
2019-05-30L190835-02-06260ND
2019-05-30L190835-03-06260ND
2019-05-30L190835-04-06260ND
2019-05-30L190835-05-06260ND
2019-05-30L190835-06-06260ND
2019-06-03L190837-01-06260ND
2019-06-03L190837-02-06260ND
2019-06-03L190837-03-06260ND
2019-06-03L190837-04-06260ND
2019-06-03L190837-05-06260ND
2019-06-04L190851-01-06260ND
2019-06-04L190851-03-06260ND
2019-06-04L190851-04-06260ND
2019-06-04L190851-05-06260ND
2019-06-06L190879-01-06260ND
2019-06-06L190879-02-06260ND
2019-06-06L190879-03-06260ND
2019-06-06L190879-04-06260ND
2019-06-06L190879-05-06260ND
2019-06-11L190893-01-06260ND
2019-06-11L190893-02-06260ND
2019-06-11L190893-03-06260ND
2019-06-11L190893-04-06260ND
2019-06-12L190903-01-06281ND
2019-06-13L190907-01-06281ND
2019-06-13L190907-02-06281ND
2019-06-13L190907-03-06281ND
2019-06-13L190907-04-06281ND
2019-06-25L190968-01-06281ND
2019-06-27L190983-01-08131ND
2019-08-20L191266-01-10020ND
2019-08-20L191266-02-10020ND
2019-08-22L191282-01-10020ND
2019-08-22L191282-02-10020ND
2019-09-09L191400-01-10020ND
2019-09-09L191400-02-10020ND
2019-09-10L191408-01-10020ND
2019-09-10L191408-02-10020ND
2019-09-10L191409-01-10020ND
2019-09-11L191425-02-10020ND
2019-09-11L191425-03-10020ND
2019-09-12L191433-01-10020ND
2019-09-12L191433-02-10020ND
2019-09-12L191433-03-10020ND
2019-09-16L191452-01-10020ND
2019-11-08L191758-01-01071ND
2019-11-13L191783-02-01071ND
2019-11-19L191822-01-01071ND
2019-11-20L191829-01-01071ND