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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Morro Bay PW Department - Water Division

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.

 

16

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
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND80ND
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
2018ND80ND
2019N/A00N/A

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
2015-05-055867-005-0840ND
2015-05-055867-006-0845ND
2015-05-055867-016-1055ND
2015-05-055867-019-0910ND
2015-05-055867-020-0915ND
2015-05-055867-030-0745ND
2015-05-055867-031-0750ND
2015-05-055867-032-0830ND
2018-05-015867-005-0919ND
2018-05-015867-006-0930ND
2018-05-015867-016-1010ND
2018-05-015867-019-0938ND
2018-05-015867-020-0950ND
2018-05-015867-030-0822ND
2018-05-015867-031-0833ND
2018-05-015867-032-0905ND