Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Cal/am Water Company - Baldwin Hills

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

 

67

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
2014ND170ND
2015ND160ND
2016ND150ND
2017ND70ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND100ND

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
2014-01-081225-001-1000ND
2014-02-031225-001-1100ND
2014-03-121225-001-1200ND
2014-04-071225-001-1145ND
2014-05-121225-001-1240ND
2014-06-021225-001-1200ND
2014-06-231225-006-0900ND
2014-06-231225-003-1000ND
2014-06-231225-001-0930ND
2014-07-219590-003-1030ND
2014-07-219590-001-1100ND
2014-07-259590-001-0954ND
2014-08-041225-001-1230ND
2014-09-151225-001-1015ND
2014-10-061225-001-0950ND
2014-11-171225-001-1200ND
2014-12-081225-001-1200ND
2015-01-051225-001-1030ND
2015-02-021225-001-1130ND
2015-03-091225-001-1130ND
2015-04-081225-001-1045ND
2015-05-041225-001-1020ND
2015-06-031225-001-1245ND
2015-07-131225-001-0930ND
2015-08-121225-001-1320ND
2015-09-021225-001-1330ND
2015-09-021225-006-1245ND
2015-09-021225-003-1200ND
2015-09-281225-001-1200ND
2015-10-121225-001-1130ND
2015-11-091225-001-0700ND
2015-11-169590-008-1250ND
2015-12-071225-001-1200ND
2016-01-111225-001-1205ND
2016-02-101225-001-1200ND
2016-03-141225-001-1200ND
2016-04-061225-001-0955ND
2016-05-021225-001-1200ND
2016-06-061225-001-1130ND
2016-06-131225-003-0930ND
2016-06-131225-006-1000ND
2016-06-131225-001-1030ND
2016-07-181225-001-1000ND
2016-08-011225-001-1200ND
2016-09-061225-001-1000ND
2016-10-101225-001-0915ND
2016-11-071225-001-1100ND
2016-12-121225-001-1040ND
2017-01-091225-001-1120ND
2017-02-071225-001-1000ND
2017-03-011225-001-1015ND
2017-04-031225-001-1130ND
2017-05-081225-001-0930ND
2017-06-261225-006-1230ND
2017-06-261225-003-1130ND
2018-06-051225-006-1000ND
2018-06-051225-003-1040ND
2019-06-121225-006-1404ND
2019-09-269590-001-1030ND
2019-09-269590-001-1045ND
2019-09-269590-001-1100ND
2019-09-269590-001-1115ND
2019-09-269590-001-1130ND
2019-10-019590-008-1027ND
2019-10-019590-008-1012ND
2019-10-019590-008-0957ND
2019-10-019590-008-0942ND