Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Cal-am Water Company - Duarte

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

 

69

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
2014ND140ND
2015ND140ND
2016ND150ND
2017ND80ND
2018ND70ND
2019ND110ND

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
2014-03-109588-004-1140ND
2014-06-231225-003-1110ND
2014-06-231225-010-1330ND
2014-06-231225-007-1040ND
2014-06-231225-009-1135ND
2014-06-231225-002-1300ND
2014-06-231225-008-1235ND
2014-09-039588-003-1215ND
2014-09-039588-002-1055ND
2014-09-039588-007-1240ND
2014-09-039588-008-1120ND
2014-09-039588-010-1225ND
2014-12-039588-009-1100ND
2014-12-039588-019-1020ND
2015-09-089588-008-1120ND
2015-09-089588-010-1110ND
2015-09-089588-002-1200ND
2015-09-089588-007-1215ND
2015-09-089588-003-1140ND
2015-09-281225-007-1200ND
2015-09-281225-003-1050ND
2015-09-281225-008-1330ND
2015-09-281225-010-0945ND
2015-09-281225-009-1345ND
2015-10-141225-019-0945ND
2015-10-141225-002-1205ND
2015-12-079588-009-1130ND
2015-12-079588-019-1040ND
2016-06-201225-019-1115ND
2016-06-201225-010-1135ND
2016-06-201225-008-1145ND
2016-07-201225-002-1110ND
2016-07-201225-009-1030ND
2016-07-201225-003-1000ND
2016-07-201225-007-0930ND
2016-09-079588-002-1330ND
2016-09-079588-003-1305ND
2016-09-079588-007-1245ND
2016-09-079588-008-1345ND
2016-09-079588-010-1315ND
2016-09-121225-019-0850ND
2016-12-059588-019-1105ND
2016-12-059588-009-1135ND
2017-07-251225-009-1210ND
2017-09-209588-010-1210ND
2017-09-209588-008-1125ND
2017-09-209588-002-1150ND
2017-09-209588-007-1100ND
2017-09-289588-003-0905ND
2017-12-059588-019-1000ND
2017-12-059588-009-1030ND
2018-07-101225-009-0940ND
2018-09-209588-010-1325ND
2018-09-209588-008-1240ND
2018-09-209588-002-1300ND
2018-09-209588-007-1215ND
2018-12-189588-009-1150ND
2018-12-189588-019-1055ND
2019-02-069590-022-1230ND
2019-03-199588-003-1135ND
2019-05-139588-022-1310ND
2019-08-079588-007-1145ND
2019-08-079588-022-1325ND
2019-08-079588-019-1115ND
2019-08-079588-002-1250ND
2019-08-079588-008-1220ND
2019-08-079588-009-1210ND
2019-08-079588-010-1305ND
2019-11-199588-022-1040ND