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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Artesian Water Company

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

 

246

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

18

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.203 ppb488ND - 1.81 ppb
20150.0490 ppb403ND - 0.770 ppb
20160.0711 ppb453ND - 1.10 ppb
20170.0595 ppb373ND - 0.800 ppb
20180.0211 ppb381ND - 0.800 ppb
2019ND380ND

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
2014-01-06L4892637-1ND
2014-01-06L4892639-11.45 ppb
2014-01-06L4892644-1ND
2014-02-05L4935367-10.550 ppb
2014-02-05L4935370-11.81 ppb
2014-02-07L4935658-1ND
2014-02-07L4935658-2ND
2014-02-18L4768478-VOC1.75 ppb
2014-02-20L4768585-VOCND
2014-02-20L4799695-VOCND
2014-02-20L4799863-1 VOCND
2014-02-25L4805909-1 VOCND
2014-02-27L4805818-VOCND
2014-02-27L4830599-1 VOCND
2014-02-27L4830758-VOCND
2014-02-27L4836771-VOCND
2014-03-04L4967359-10.670 ppb
2014-03-04L4967359-20.670 ppb
2014-03-04L4967360-1VOC1.67 ppb
2014-03-20L4836863-1 VOCND
2014-03-20L4949104-1ND
2014-03-24L4949106-1-VOCND
2014-03-24L4949108-VOCND
2014-03-24L4949110-VOCND
2014-03-24L4949113-VOCND
2014-04-01L4991785-11.17 ppb
2014-04-01L4991785-2ND
2014-04-03L5006062-1ND
2014-04-04L5006551-1ND
2014-05-01L5030569-1ND
2014-05-07L5050389-1 VOCND
2014-05-19L5062269-1ND
2014-05-19L5062269-2ND
2014-05-30L5959119-1-VOCND
2014-07-03L5144791-1 VOCND
2014-08-04L5193431-1ND
2014-09-02L5231075-1ND
2014-09-02L5231075-2ND
2014-09-03L5235055-1VOCND
2014-09-03L5235055-2-VOCND
2014-10-03L5274679-1ND
2014-11-04L5314270-1ND
2014-11-04L5314270-2ND
2014-11-05L5315635-1-VOCND
2014-11-05L5315635-2-VOCND
2014-12-15L5359596-1-VOCND
2014-12-15L5359597-1-VOCND
2014-12-15L5359597-2-VOCND
2015-01-06L5393622-1ND
2015-01-09L5398026-1 VOCND
2015-01-26L5242398-1 VOCND
2015-01-26L5242399-1ND
2015-01-26L5242404-1 VOCND
2015-01-29L524205-1 VOCND
2015-01-29L5242406-1 VOCND
2015-01-29L5242407-1-VOCND
2015-01-29L5242895-1-VOC0.770 ppb
2015-01-30L5242896-1 VOCND
2015-01-30L5250627-1 VOCND
2015-01-30L5250713-1 VOCND
2015-02-26L5286929-1 VOCND
2015-03-02L5287047-1-VOCND
2015-03-02L5293036-1 VOCND
2015-03-02L5293104-1-VOCND
2015-03-31L5511077-10.560 ppb
2015-04-01L5513705-1-VOCND
2015-04-15L5536821-1-VOCND
2015-04-15L5537277-1 VOCND
2015-06-01L5611916-1ND
2015-06-01L5611916-2ND
2015-06-04L5628778-10.630 ppb
2015-06-22L5661471-1ND
2015-07-01L5676946-1ND
2015-07-06L5692593-1ND
2015-09-01L5800237-1ND
2015-09-01L5800237-2ND
2015-09-02L5802388-1ND
2015-09-02L5802391-1ND
2015-09-23L5534590-1 VOCND
2015-10-01L5835730-1 VOCND
2015-10-02L5836565-1 VOCND
2015-10-02L5836566-1 VOCND
2015-10-07L5853905-1 VOCND
2015-11-02L5899917-1ND
2015-11-02L5899917-2ND
2015-12-10L5590066-1 VOCND
2015-12-10L5956173-1ND
2015-12-10L5956173-2ND
2016-01-04L5988545-1ND
2016-01-04L5988546-1ND
2016-01-04L5988546-2ND
2016-01-04L5988547-1ND
2016-01-05L6006215-1ND
2016-01-05L6006223-1ND
2016-01-15L5762486-1 VOCND
2016-01-15L5820919-1 VOCND
2016-01-15L5863869-1 VOCND
2016-01-29L6019360-1 VOCND
2016-01-29L6019361-1 VOCND
2016-01-29L6019362-1 VOCND
2016-02-01L6053158-1ND
2016-02-01L6053158-2ND
2016-02-17L6019363-1 VOCND
2016-02-17L6019364-1 VOCND
2016-02-17L6019365-1 VOCND
2016-02-23L6019366-1 VOCND
2016-02-23L6019367-1 VOCND
2016-02-23L6019368-1 VOCND
2016-02-23L6019369-1 VOCND
2016-02-23L6019370- VOCND
2016-03-28L6142373-1 VOC1.10 ppb
2016-04-04L6166403-1 VOCND
2016-04-07L6170166-1 VOCND
2016-05-20L6019372-1 VOC1.000 ppb
2016-06-06L6019374-1 VOCND
2016-06-06L6302168-11.10 ppb
2016-06-10L6307130-1ND
2016-06-16L6319857-1ND
2016-06-16L6319857-2ND
2016-06-21L6326398-1ND
2016-07-06L6359964-1ND
2016-07-08L6361949-1ND
2016-07-11L6363789-1ND
2016-07-11L6363789-2 VOCND
2016-07-11L6363790-1ND
2016-07-11L6363793-1ND
2016-08-05L6390073-1 VOCND
2016-09-09L6461769-1ND
2016-10-04L6499891-1ND
2016-10-04L6499893-1ND
2016-10-05L6502154-1ND
2016-10-05L6502181-1ND
2016-10-05L6502183-1ND
2017-01-04L6630039-1ND
2017-01-04L6630041-1ND
2017-01-06L6631632-1ND
2017-01-18L6547052-1 VOCND
2017-01-20L6469070-1 VOCND
2017-01-20L6469144-1 VOCND
2017-01-23L6485710-1VOCND
2017-01-23L6547102-1 VOCND
2017-01-23L6553141-1 VOCND
2017-01-25L6476340-1 VOCND
2017-01-25L6476416-1 VOCND
2017-01-25L6476488-1 VOCND
2017-01-25L6476525-1 VOCND
2017-01-31L6371963-1 VOCND
2017-01-31L6372370-1 VOCND
2017-01-31L6378581-1 VOCND
2017-03-06L6485639-1 VOCND
2017-03-09L6568580-1 VOCND
2017-04-04L6752338-1 VOCND
2017-04-05L6753806-1 VOCND
2017-04-05L6753806-2ND
2017-04-06L6754970-1 VOCND
2017-04-13L6763126-1 5240.800 ppb
2017-05-03L6791948-1 VOCND
2017-06-13L6851464-1ND
2017-07-06L6895433-1 VOCND
2017-07-10L6899909-1ND
2017-07-12L6903562-1ND
2017-07-14L6904370-1ND
2017-08-04L6932965-10.700 ppb
2017-09-13L6950001-1ND
2017-10-03L6957608-1ND
2017-10-03L6957609-1ND
2017-10-10L6959282-1ND
2017-10-10L6959284-1ND
2017-11-07L6968999-10.700 ppb
2017-12-067114325-01 VOCND
2018-01-058011810-01ND
2018-01-058011820-01ND
2018-01-108011813-01ND
2018-01-108011818-01ND
2018-01-268014291-01 VOCND
2018-01-268014295-01 VOCND
2018-02-078021670-01ND
2018-02-238015062-01 VOCND
2018-02-278030889-01 VOCND
2018-03-018024104-01 VOCND
2018-03-018030886-01 VOCND
2018-03-018030887-01 VOCND
2018-03-058030881-01 VOCND
2018-03-058030882-01 VOCND
2018-03-058030888-01 VOCND
2018-03-068030883-01 VOCND
2018-03-068030884-01 VOCND
2018-03-168030879-01 VOCND
2018-03-278034448-01 VOCND
2018-03-278034449-01 VOCND
2018-04-048034691-01ND
2018-04-098034683-01ND
2018-04-208034686-01 VOCND
2018-04-248044900-01ND
2018-05-238053616-01 VOCND
2018-06-128061422-01ND
2018-07-068071563-01 VOCND
2018-07-068071568-01 VOCND
2018-07-098071570-01 VOC0.800 ppb
2018-07-108071560-01 VOCND
2018-07-108071578-01 VOCND
2018-09-208093895-01 VOCND
2018-10-088101733-01 VOCND
2018-10-088101752-01 VOCND
2018-10-098101743-01 VOCND
2018-10-168101736-01 VOCND
2018-10-168101741-01 VOCND
2018-11-218105267-01 VOCND
2019-01-048124609-01 SUVOND
2019-01-048124611-01 SUVOND
2019-01-108124601-01 SUVOND
2019-01-228124620-01 SUVOND
2019-01-258122188-01 SUVOND
2019-01-258122189-01 SUVOND
2019-01-288122190-01 SUVOND
2019-01-308105269-01 SUVOND
2019-02-279020961-01 SUVOND
2019-03-079014984-01 SUVOND
2019-03-079031310-01 SUVOND
2019-03-079032813-01 SUVOND
2019-03-129020956-01 SUVOND
2019-03-149020955-01 SUVOND
2019-03-159020957-01 SUVOND
2019-03-159020959-01 SUVOND
2019-03-159020960-01 SUVOND
2019-03-219033622-01 SUVOND
2019-03-219033623-01 SUVOND
2019-03-289033626-01 SUVOND
2019-03-289034331-01 SUVOND
2019-04-109041997-01 SUVOND
2019-04-109042005-01 SUVOND
2019-04-109043383-01 SUVOND
2019-04-129042017-01 SUVOND
2019-04-189042000-01 SUVOND
2019-04-259045411-01 SUVOND
2019-07-039071966-01 SUVOND
2019-07-109071964-01 SUVOND
2019-07-109071976-01 SUVOND
2019-07-119071956-01 SUVOND
2019-07-169071959-01 SUVOND
2019-09-169085950-01 SUVOND
2019-10-029101662-01 SUVOND
2019-10-049101657-01 SUVOND
2019-10-089101674-01 SUVOND
2019-10-109101664-01 SUVOND
2019-10-189101655-01 SUVOND