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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Prescott Valley WD Upper

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.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

36

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND50ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016ND60ND
2017ND50ND
2018ND10ND
2019ND190ND

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
2014-01-15201401150464VND
2014-01-15201401150463VND
2014-01-15201401150462VND
2014-01-15201401150461VND
2014-01-15201401150459VND
2016-02-09201602100057VND
2016-02-09201602100056VND
2016-02-09201602100055VND
2016-02-10201602110030VND
2016-02-10201602110028VND
2016-02-10201602110029VND
2017-02-14201702150190VND
2017-02-14201702150189VND
2017-02-14201702150188VND
2017-02-14201702150187VND
2017-02-14201702150185VND
2018-04-0518D0686-01ND
2019-02-05201902060085VND
2019-02-05201902060084VND
2019-02-05201902060083VND
2019-02-05201902060082VND
2019-02-05201902060081VND
2019-02-05201902060080VND
2019-02-05201902060079VND
2019-02-05201902060078VND
2019-02-06201902070479VND
2019-02-06201902070477VND
2019-02-06201902070478VND
2019-02-06201902070481VND
2019-03-2819C3041-01ND
2019-06-1919F2188-01ND
2019-08-2819H3349-01ND
2019-08-2819H3342-01ND
2019-09-1619I1769-04ND
2019-11-2019K2301-01ND
2019-11-2019K2302-01ND