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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

South Tahoe PUD - Main

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

 

194

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

2

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND380ND
20150.0409 ppb221ND - 0.900 ppb
2016ND220ND
20170.0238 ppb211ND - 0.500 ppb
2018ND330ND
2019ND580ND

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
2014-01-225867-012-0916ND
2014-01-225867-052-0851ND
2014-01-235867-012-1210ND
2014-02-195867-012-1110ND
2014-02-195867-052-1130ND
2014-03-195867-052-1025ND
2014-03-215867-012-1441ND
2014-03-215867-012-1657ND
2014-03-235867-012-1441ND
2014-04-095867-012-1147ND
2014-04-095867-052-1116ND
2014-05-145867-012-0920ND
2014-05-145867-016-1030ND
2014-05-145867-052-1000ND
2014-06-185867-023-1131ND
2014-06-185867-042-1223ND
2014-06-185867-050-1006ND
2014-06-185867-060-1225ND
2014-06-205867-036-1606ND
2014-06-255867-012-1112ND
2014-06-255867-052-1130ND
2014-07-165867-012-1055ND
2014-07-165867-052-1030ND
2014-07-165867-054-1123ND
2014-07-165867-057-0947ND
2014-08-205867-006-0953ND
2014-08-205867-012-0920ND
2014-08-205867-016-1241ND
2014-08-205867-052-0941ND
2014-09-175867-012-0901ND
2014-09-175867-052-0925ND
2014-10-085867-012-1009ND
2014-10-085867-052-0919ND
2014-11-065867-012-0904ND
2014-11-245867-016-0831ND
2014-11-245867-052-0908ND
2014-12-035867-012-0947ND
2014-12-035867-052-0911ND
2015-01-075867-012-1130ND
2015-01-075867-052-1109ND
2015-02-195867-016-08510.900 ppb
2015-04-155867-012-1020ND
2015-04-155867-052-0955ND
2015-05-135867-016-1024ND
2015-06-225867-012-0902ND
2015-06-245867-023-0920ND
2015-06-245867-036-0938ND
2015-06-245867-058-0820ND
2015-06-245867-060-0850ND
2015-07-225867-012-0951ND
2015-07-225867-052-0921ND
2015-07-225867-054-0853ND
2015-07-225867-057-0836ND
2015-08-045867-006-0922ND
2015-08-045867-016-1028ND
2015-08-055867-042-0837ND
2015-08-265867-050-0914ND
2015-10-125867-012-0000ND
2015-10-145867-052-0920ND
2015-11-195867-016-1031ND
2016-01-135867-012-0958ND
2016-01-135867-052-0930ND
2016-01-285867-012-1308ND
2016-02-035867-016-0930ND
2016-04-065867-012-0901ND
2016-04-065867-052-0938ND
2016-05-195867-016-0943ND
2016-06-235867-023-1241ND
2016-06-235867-036-1215ND
2016-06-235867-042-0955ND
2016-06-235867-050-1105ND
2016-06-235867-058-1135ND
2016-06-235867-060-1025ND
2016-07-205867-012-0906ND
2016-07-205867-052-0949ND
2016-07-205867-054-0950ND
2016-07-205867-057-0830ND
2016-08-245867-006-0917ND
2016-08-245867-016-0923ND
2016-10-125867-012-1020ND
2016-10-125867-052-1040ND
2016-11-165867-016-1000ND
2017-01-185867-012-1120ND
2017-01-185867-052-1143ND
2017-02-235867-016-10270.500 ppb
2017-05-175867-016-1012ND
2017-05-245867-012-1139ND
2017-05-245867-052-1111ND
2017-06-135867-023-0955ND
2017-06-135867-036-1143ND
2017-06-135867-042-1036ND
2017-06-135867-050-0906ND
2017-06-135867-058-0832ND
2017-06-135867-060-1106ND
2017-07-115867-012-1255ND
2017-07-115867-052-1215ND
2017-07-115867-054-0847ND
2017-07-115867-057-1127ND
2017-08-095867-006-1104ND
2017-08-095867-016-1020ND
2017-10-185867-012-1111ND
2017-10-185867-052-1030ND
2017-11-155867-016-0957ND
2018-01-105867-012-1121ND
2018-01-105867-052-1144ND
2018-02-075867-016-1233ND
2018-03-155867-054-0916ND
2018-04-045867-012-1108ND
2018-04-045867-052-1134ND
2018-06-055867-012-0950ND
2018-06-055867-023-1344ND
2018-06-055867-052-1008ND
2018-06-055867-060-1318ND
2018-06-125867-006-1011ND
2018-06-125867-016-1116ND
2018-07-185867-036-0910ND
2018-07-185867-050-1013ND
2018-07-185867-054-1122ND
2018-07-185867-057-1023ND
2018-07-185867-058-0948ND
2018-07-315867-052-1021ND
2018-08-225867-012-0940ND
2018-08-225867-016-1113ND
2018-08-225867-042-1000ND
2018-08-225867-052-1016ND
2018-09-045867-012-1108ND
2018-09-045867-052-1132ND
2018-10-105867-036-1142ND
2018-10-105867-052-1154ND
2018-10-105867-060-1206ND
2018-11-275867-036-1410ND
2018-11-275867-052-1140ND
2018-11-285867-060-1015ND
2018-12-135867-036-1103ND
2018-12-135867-052-1038ND
2018-12-195867-060-1350ND
2019-01-025867-060-1008ND
2019-01-095867-036-1100ND
2019-01-095867-052-1032ND
2019-03-129590-036-1141ND
2019-03-129590-052-1200ND
2019-03-129590-060-0924ND
2019-04-029590-012-1040ND
2019-04-029590-036-1324ND
2019-04-029590-042-0943ND
2019-04-029590-052-0930ND
2019-04-029590-060-1000ND
2019-05-159590-012-1115ND
2019-05-169590-036-1001ND
2019-05-169590-052-0945ND
2019-05-169590-060-0929ND
2019-05-239590-042-1356ND
2019-06-069590-036-0917ND
2019-06-069590-052-1137ND
2019-06-189590-012-1000ND
2019-06-189590-016-1319ND
2019-06-189590-042-0933ND
2019-06-189590-060-1035ND
2019-07-109590-016-1805ND
2019-07-109590-036-1549ND
2019-07-169590-012-1042ND
2019-07-169590-042-1211ND
2019-07-169590-052-1143ND
2019-07-169590-060-1115ND
2019-08-069590-006-1043ND
2019-08-069590-050-1108ND
2019-08-069590-054-1135ND
2019-08-069590-058-1030ND
2019-08-149590-012-0936ND
2019-08-149590-036-1005ND
2019-08-149590-042-1022ND
2019-08-149590-060-0913ND
2019-08-209590-023-1000ND
2019-08-209590-052-0934ND
2019-09-119590-012-1232ND
2019-09-119590-036-1038ND
2019-09-119590-042-1011ND
2019-09-119590-052-0927ND
2019-09-119590-060-0940ND
2019-10-169590-036-1208ND
2019-10-169590-052-0948ND
2019-10-169590-060-1136ND
2019-10-229590-012-1027ND
2019-10-229590-042-1003ND
2019-10-229590-057-0937ND
2019-11-079590-012-1358ND
2019-11-079590-036-1010ND
2019-11-079590-060-1126ND
2019-11-139590-052-1336ND
2019-12-059590-012-1347ND
2019-12-059590-042-1332ND
2019-12-059590-052-1145ND
2019-12-059590-060-1131ND
2019-12-109590-016-1425ND