Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Connecticut Water Company - Northern Region-Western System

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND20ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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 carbon tetrachloride, established in 1987, 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 carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-23BZ78888VOC1ND
2018-01-31BZ82950VOC1ND
2018-07-13CA89901ND
2019-01-02VOC1 200517309ND
2019-03-15VOC1 200524883ND
2020-01-02VOC1 200561504ND
2020-06-29VOC1 200580772ND
2020-08-11VOC1 200586573ND
2020-09-21VOC1 200591014ND
2020-10-07VOC1 200593218ND
2021-03-05VOC1 200608707ND
2021-09-14300059932 300059934ND
2022-01-24CK22294ND
2022-01-25CK23175ND
2022-01-25CK23176ND
2022-02-01CK27428ND
2022-02-16CK69359ND
2022-08-26CM16199ND
2022-09-08CM25672ND
2022-09-20CM37295ND
2023-01-17CN24238ND
2023-12-13CP67269ND