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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Security Waster District

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

 

93

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND210ND
2015ND200ND
2016ND370ND
2017ND150ND
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A

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 Result
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-24ND
2014-02-26ND
2014-02-26ND
2014-02-26ND
2014-02-26ND
2014-02-26ND
2014-02-26ND
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-22ND
2014-07-31ND
2014-08-14ND
2014-09-09ND
2014-11-03ND
2015-01-05ND
2015-01-06ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-02-23ND
2015-04-06ND
2015-08-03ND
2015-10-05ND
2015-10-06ND
2015-10-06ND
2015-10-06ND
2016-01-12ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-25ND
2016-01-28ND
2016-02-03ND
2016-04-06ND
2016-04-06ND
2016-04-06ND
2016-04-06ND
2016-04-06ND
2016-05-10ND
2016-05-10ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-08-23ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-19ND
2017-02-13ND
2017-02-13ND
2017-02-13ND
2017-02-13ND
2017-02-13ND
2017-02-13ND
2017-02-15ND
2017-02-15ND
2017-02-15ND
2017-02-15ND
2017-02-15ND
2017-02-15ND
2017-04-17ND
2017-04-17ND
2017-04-17ND