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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

California Water Service - Livermore

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

187

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

5

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.0521 ppb423ND - 0.990 ppb
20150.0307 ppb281ND - 0.860 ppb
20160.0187 ppb311ND - 0.580 ppb
2017ND110ND
2018ND390ND
2019ND360ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-01-225701-024-1415ND
2014-01-225701-025-1410ND
2014-01-235701-006-13030.530 ppb
2014-01-235701-007-1020ND
2014-02-255701-024-1047ND
2014-02-255701-025-1045ND
2014-03-165701-024-1400ND
2014-03-165701-025-1405ND
2014-04-215701-022-1035ND
2014-04-235701-024-1120ND
2014-04-235701-025-1123ND
2014-04-245701-006-16250.670 ppb
2014-04-245701-021-1420ND
2014-05-135701-024-1344ND
2014-05-135701-025-1336ND
2014-05-275701-022-1017ND
2014-06-105701-024-1138ND
2014-06-105701-025-1133ND
2014-06-125701-022-1248ND
2014-07-105701-022-1016ND
2014-07-105701-024-1141ND
2014-07-105701-025-1132ND
2014-07-235701-006-1545ND
2014-07-235701-021-1526ND
2014-08-065701-022-1055ND
2014-08-069590-024-1135ND
2014-08-069590-025-1127ND
2014-09-115701-022-1139ND
2014-09-115701-024-1554ND
2014-09-115701-025-1550ND
2014-10-159590-022-1044ND
2014-10-155701-024-0956ND
2014-10-155701-025-1000ND
2014-10-275701-021-1418ND
2014-11-055701-022-1000ND
2014-11-055701-024-1251ND
2014-11-055701-025-1257ND
2014-12-105701-024-1229ND
2014-12-105701-025-1224ND
2014-12-155701-006-16500.990 ppb
2014-12-175701-022-1212ND
2014-12-189590-009-1355ND
2015-01-135701-022-1400ND
2015-01-215701-024-1327ND
2015-01-215701-025-1328ND
2015-01-275701-006-16020.860 ppb
2015-01-275701-021-1426ND
2015-02-185701-022-1653ND
2015-02-245701-024-1350ND
2015-02-245701-025-1345ND
2015-03-165701-022-1530ND
2015-03-165701-024-1611ND
2015-03-165701-025-1605ND
2015-04-145701-022-1112ND
2015-04-145701-024-1437ND
2015-04-145701-025-1429ND
2015-04-275701-006-1341ND
2015-05-129590-022-1226ND
2015-05-185701-009-1105ND
2015-06-085701-022-1110ND
2015-07-075701-022-1259ND
2015-07-215701-006-1050ND
2015-08-105701-022-1308ND
2015-09-095701-022-1216ND
2015-10-145701-022-0950ND
2015-10-195701-006-1115ND
2015-10-195701-021-1016ND
2015-11-095701-022-1151ND
2015-12-095701-014-1120ND
2015-12-155701-022-1515ND
2016-01-135701-022-1110ND
2016-01-205701-021-0905ND
2016-02-115701-022-1403ND
2016-03-155701-022-1010ND
2016-04-045701-022-0958ND
2016-04-185701-021-1141ND
2016-05-045701-022-1441ND
2016-05-235701-024-1059ND
2016-05-235701-025-1100ND
2016-07-065701-024-1328ND
2016-07-065701-025-1323ND
2016-07-135701-022-1535ND
2016-07-205701-006-11350.580 ppb
2016-07-205701-015-1120ND
2016-07-205701-021-1105ND
2016-08-035701-022-1415ND
2016-08-035701-024-1442ND
2016-08-035701-025-1441ND
2016-09-135701-022-1347ND
2016-09-135701-024-1130ND
2016-09-135701-025-1118ND
2016-10-135701-022-1530ND
2016-10-135701-024-1050ND
2016-10-135701-025-1055ND
2016-10-255701-021-1527ND
2016-11-155701-022-1515ND
2016-11-155701-024-1357ND
2016-11-155701-025-1351ND
2016-12-135701-022-1117ND
2016-12-135810-024-1307ND
2016-12-135810-025-1306ND
2017-01-175701-022-1009ND
2017-01-255701-021-1140ND
2017-02-079590-022-1411ND
2017-03-075701-022-1407ND
2017-04-195701-021-1547ND
2017-04-195701-022-1530ND
2017-07-255701-021-1344ND
2017-10-235701-021-1310ND
2017-11-145810-022-1315ND
2017-12-125701-022-0946ND
2017-12-189590-007-1359ND
2018-01-055701-024-1351ND
2018-01-055701-025-1350ND
2018-01-245701-021-1312ND
2018-01-295701-022-1045ND
2018-02-135701-022-1115ND
2018-02-215701-024-1800ND
2018-02-215701-025-1755ND
2018-03-065701-024-1200ND
2018-03-065701-025-1155ND
2018-03-225701-022-0940ND
2018-04-125810-022-1336ND
2018-04-125810-024-1305ND
2018-04-125810-025-1303ND
2018-05-019590-021-1438ND
2018-05-175701-022-0932ND
2018-06-115701-022-1557ND
2018-06-115701-024-1549ND
2018-06-115701-025-1546ND
2018-07-025810-022-1136ND
2018-07-115810-024-1400ND
2018-07-115810-025-1402ND
2018-07-245701-014-0917ND
2018-07-245701-021-0850ND
2018-08-135701-022-1426ND
2018-08-145701-024-1020ND
2018-08-145701-025-1022ND
2018-09-115701-022-1009ND
2018-09-125701-024-1422ND
2018-09-125701-025-1424ND
2018-10-115701-022-1321ND
2018-10-115701-024-1344ND
2018-10-115701-025-1346ND
2018-10-165810-021-1337ND
2018-11-155701-022-1506ND
2018-11-155701-024-0904ND
2018-11-155701-025-0906ND
2018-12-115810-022-1452ND
2018-12-125810-024-1326ND
2018-12-125810-025-1329ND
2019-01-085810-022-1405ND
2019-01-085810-024-1010ND
2019-01-085810-025-1005ND
2019-01-239590-021-1150ND
2019-02-135701-022-1406ND
2019-02-135701-024-1331ND
2019-02-135701-025-1329ND
2019-03-125701-022-1449ND
2019-04-165701-022-1240ND
2019-04-295701-021-0928ND
2019-05-155701-022-1506ND
2019-05-155701-024-1238ND
2019-05-155701-025-1235ND
2019-06-125701-022-1056ND
2019-07-025701-024-1611ND
2019-07-025701-025-1559ND
2019-07-115701-022-1417ND
2019-07-115701-024-1010ND
2019-07-115701-025-1006ND
2019-07-245701-021-1452ND
2019-08-155701-022-1443ND
2019-08-155701-024-1416ND
2019-08-155701-025-1420ND
2019-09-125701-022-1330ND
2019-09-125701-024-1128ND
2019-09-125701-025-1125ND
2019-10-025701-022-1004ND
2019-10-025701-024-0908ND
2019-10-025701-025-0905ND
2019-10-165701-021-1024ND
2019-10-305701-015-1151ND
2019-11-135701-024-1114ND
2019-11-135701-025-1111ND
2019-12-105701-015-1320ND
2019-12-185701-024-1152ND
2019-12-185701-025-1155ND