Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Lukins Brothers Water Company

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.

 

62

Samples

3

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

9

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND20ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND150ND
20220.441 ppb172ND - 6.40 ppb
20231.19 ppb257ND - 15.0 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2019-04-09CA0910007_001_001-201904090715ND
2019-12-10CA0910007_001_001-201912101025ND
2020-03-19CA0910007_001_001-202003190830ND
2020-07-14CA0910007_001_001-202007140725ND
2020-11-09CA0910007_001_001-202011090950ND
2021-03-08CA0910007_001_001-202103081025ND
2021-04-22CA0910007_005_005-202104220800ND
2021-05-10CA0910007_005_005-202105100830ND
2021-05-18CA0910007_005_005-202105181313ND
2021-05-18CA0910007_005_005-202105181318ND
2021-05-19CA0910007_005_005-202105191140ND
2021-05-19CA0910007_005_005-202105191135ND
2021-05-19CA0910007_005_005-202105191130ND
2021-06-09CA0910007_005_005-202106090830ND
2021-06-09CA0910007_005_005-202106090810ND
2021-07-12CA0910007_001_001-202107120705ND
2021-10-04CA0910007_008_008-202110040840ND
2021-10-04CA0910007_005_005-202110040850ND
2021-11-08CA0910007_005_005-202111080920ND
2021-11-08CA0910007_005_005-202111080935ND
2022-04-12CA0910007_005_005-202204120945ND
2022-04-12CA0910007_008_008-202204121005ND
2022-05-10CA0910007_008_008-202205100915ND
2022-05-10CA0910007_009_009-202205101425ND
2022-06-06CA0910007_008_008-202206060850ND
2022-06-06CA0910007_009_009-202206060740ND
2022-06-27CA0910007_008_008-202206270755ND
2022-06-27CA0910007_009_009-202206270735ND
2022-07-11CA0910007_008_008-202207110955ND
2022-08-08CA0910007_009_009-202208080735ND
2022-08-08CA0910007_008_008-2022080807501.10 ppb
2022-09-13CA0910007_009_009-202209130935ND
2022-09-13CA0910007_008_008-2022091309506.40 ppb
2022-10-12CA0910007_008_008-202210120745ND
2022-10-12CA0910007_009_009-202210120805ND
2022-12-14CA0910007_009_009-202212140910ND
2022-12-14CA0910007_008_008-202212140930ND
2023-01-11CA0910007_008_008-202301111020ND
2023-01-11CA0910007_009_009-202301111010ND
2023-02-07CA0910007_009_009-202302070845ND
2023-02-07CA0910007_008_008-202302070840ND
2023-03-08CA0910007_001_001-202303080940ND
2023-03-08CA0910007_009_009-202303080909ND
2023-04-12CA0910007_009_009-202304121045ND
2023-04-12CA0910007_008_008-202304121100ND
2023-05-09CA0910007_009_009-202305090840ND
2023-05-09CA0910007_008_008-202305090900ND
2023-06-13CA0910007_009_009-202306130830ND
2023-06-13CA0910007_001_001-202306130915ND
2023-06-13CA0910007_008_008-2023061308301.30 ppb
2023-07-10CA0910007_009_009-202307100845ND
2023-07-10CA0910007_008_008-2023071009409.60 ppb
2023-08-08CA0910007_008_008-20230808082015.0 ppb
2023-08-08CA0910007_009_009-202308080815ND
2023-09-05CA0910007_009_009-202309050930ND
2023-09-05CA0910007_008_008-2023090509500.640 ppb
2023-10-10CA0910007_008_008-2023101009501.40 ppb
2023-10-10CA0910007_009_009-202310100920ND
2023-11-07CA0910007_008_008-2023110709001.10 ppb
2023-11-07CA0910007_009_009-202311070730ND
2023-12-05CA0910007_008_008-2023120509150.770 ppb
2023-12-05CA0910007_009_009-202312050855ND