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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Lynwood Water Department

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

 

120

Samples

3

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

99

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20142.38 ppb2420ND - 4.10 ppb
20152.39 ppb2421ND - 4.20 ppb
20162.42 ppb1915ND - 3.90 ppb
20172.35 ppb2016ND - 7.40 ppb
20182.81 ppb2017ND - 5.90 ppb
20191.73 ppb1310ND - 3.60 ppb

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
2014-01-229588-008-11153.20 ppb
2014-01-229588-009-1103ND
2014-01-229588-011-10493.80 ppb
2014-01-229588-016-10381.20 ppb
2014-03-179588-011-11523.50 ppb
2014-03-209588-016-13351.10 ppb
2014-04-249588-008-14452.80 ppb
2014-04-249588-009-1505ND
2014-04-249588-011-14303.80 ppb
2014-04-249588-016-14181.20 ppb
2014-05-299588-011-10253.30 ppb
2014-06-259588-011-10452.60 ppb
2014-07-169588-008-10402.80 ppb
2014-07-169588-009-1017ND
2014-07-169588-011-09533.40 ppb
2014-07-169588-016-09251.20 ppb
2014-08-139588-011-09504.10 ppb
2014-09-109588-011-14203.80 ppb
2014-10-159588-008-09113.00 ppb
2014-10-159588-009-0852ND
2014-10-159588-011-08304.00 ppb
2014-10-159588-016-08181.10 ppb
2014-11-129588-011-10303.70 ppb
2014-12-049588-011-09283.50 ppb
2015-01-149588-008-10402.80 ppb
2015-01-149588-009-1053ND
2015-01-149588-011-10153.70 ppb
2015-01-149588-016-09571.10 ppb
2015-02-119588-011-09323.20 ppb
2015-03-199588-011-09494.20 ppb
2015-04-089588-009-10170.690 ppb
2015-04-089588-011-09503.70 ppb
2015-04-089588-016-09361.10 ppb
2015-05-139588-011-10053.30 ppb
2015-06-229588-008-10042.80 ppb
2015-06-229588-011-09543.70 ppb
2015-07-159588-008-11202.70 ppb
2015-07-159588-009-1140ND
2015-07-159588-011-10553.30 ppb
2015-07-159588-016-10251.000 ppb
2015-08-129588-011-10122.60 ppb
2015-09-099588-011-10083.50 ppb
2015-10-149588-008-09402.90 ppb
2015-10-149588-009-1012ND
2015-10-149588-011-10303.20 ppb
2015-10-199588-016-10000.870 ppb
2015-11-119588-011-09553.80 ppb
2015-12-099588-011-10123.20 ppb
2016-01-139588-008-13002.60 ppb
2016-01-139588-009-1245ND
2016-02-109588-011-09583.30 ppb
2016-03-099588-011-09503.30 ppb
2016-04-139588-008-10183.10 ppb
2016-04-139588-009-1002ND
2016-04-139588-011-09403.90 ppb
2016-05-119588-011-09382.90 ppb
2016-06-089588-011-09572.40 ppb
2016-07-139588-008-10302.80 ppb
2016-07-139588-009-1000ND
2016-07-139588-011-09402.70 ppb
2016-08-109588-011-09473.60 ppb
2016-09-149588-011-10143.20 ppb
2016-10-129588-008-10012.70 ppb
2016-10-129588-009-1019ND
2016-10-129588-011-09443.30 ppb
2016-11-099588-011-10053.00 ppb
2016-12-149588-011-11013.20 ppb
2017-01-119588-008-09452.50 ppb
2017-01-119588-009-1020ND
2017-01-119588-011-10022.70 ppb
2017-02-089588-011-09323.00 ppb
2017-03-089588-011-10003.90 ppb
2017-04-199588-008-10252.40 ppb
2017-04-199588-009-1005ND
2017-04-199588-011-09502.90 ppb
2017-05-109588-011-10203.00 ppb
2017-06-149588-011-09583.10 ppb
2017-06-209588-016-09300.730 ppb
2017-07-129588-008-10152.30 ppb
2017-07-129588-009-0925ND
2017-07-129588-011-10004.20 ppb
2017-07-129588-016-09450.570 ppb
2017-08-099588-011-09554.30 ppb
2017-09-139588-011-10007.40 ppb
2017-10-119588-008-10402.80 ppb
2017-10-119588-009-1015ND
2017-10-119588-016-09551.20 ppb
2018-01-109588-008-11152.80 ppb
2018-01-109588-009-1030ND
2018-01-109588-011-10134.80 ppb
2018-01-109588-016-09461.10 ppb
2018-02-149588-011-10204.60 ppb
2018-03-149588-011-09434.70 ppb
2018-04-189588-009-1055ND
2018-04-189588-011-10084.20 ppb
2018-04-189588-016-09501.20 ppb
2018-05-029588-011-11114.00 ppb
2018-06-139588-011-09304.00 ppb
2018-06-289588-008-09303.30 ppb
2018-07-099588-008-09143.70 ppb
2018-07-099588-009-1000ND
2018-07-099588-011-09445.60 ppb
2018-07-099588-016-09331.60 ppb
2018-08-089588-011-10205.90 ppb
2018-10-179588-008-10282.60 ppb
2018-10-179588-009-10440.660 ppb
2018-10-179588-016-10051.40 ppb
2019-01-099588-008-10053.50 ppb
2019-01-099588-009-10300.720 ppb
2019-01-099588-016-09451.60 ppb
2019-03-149588-008-09053.60 ppb
2019-04-109588-008-10403.10 ppb
2019-04-109588-009-1022ND
2019-04-109588-016-10001.70 ppb
2019-07-119588-008-10002.90 ppb
2019-07-119588-009-1015ND
2019-07-119588-016-09401.40 ppb
2019-10-169588-008-10352.40 ppb
2019-10-169588-009-1050ND
2019-10-169588-016-10201.60 ppb