Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Georgetown Water Department

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.

 

61

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

5

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND70ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND30ND
20220.174 ppb141ND - 2.44 ppb
20230.289 ppb224ND - 1.85 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-03-14S769306ND
2018-06-18S813747ND
2018-06-25S792519ND
2018-07-02S808292ND
2018-08-30S824396ND
2018-12-189948087-EVOCND
2018-12-28S816944ND
2019-01-28S860823ND
2019-02-08L7103316-EVOCND
2019-04-17S872273ND
2019-08-22S848507ND
2019-08-22S848509ND
2019-09-26S909231ND
2019-11-15S925389ND
2019-11-15S925386ND
2020-02-18S932571ND
2020-05-04S952565ND
2020-06-22S969544ND
2020-06-22S969546ND
2020-09-18S969760ND
2020-10-05S977627ND
2020-10-05S977621ND
2021-03-17S1048421ND
2021-08-10S1009067ND
2021-11-12S1148457ND
2022-02-16S1159447ND
2022-04-07S1185506ND
2022-04-07S1185434ND
2022-06-30S1209331ND
2022-06-30S1209329ND
2022-06-30S1209322ND
2022-06-30S1209324ND
2022-06-30S1209327ND
2022-09-16S1230815ND
2022-10-06S1230981ND
2022-10-06S1230979ND
2022-10-06S12309832.44 ppb
2022-10-10S1231009ND
2022-10-10S1231007ND
2023-03-24S1282875ND
2023-03-24S1282873ND
2023-03-24S12828711.85 ppb
2023-03-24S1282869ND
2023-03-24S1282867ND
2023-06-26S1287829ND
2023-06-26S1287827ND
2023-06-26S1287825ND
2023-06-30S1260840ND
2023-06-30S12608371.61 ppb
2023-09-13S1287683ND
2023-09-13S1287695ND
2023-09-28S1307835ND
2023-09-28S1307841ND
2023-09-28S1307839ND
2023-09-28S13078371.47 ppb
2023-09-28S1307833ND
2023-11-21S1307974ND
2023-11-21S1307971ND
2023-11-21S1307969ND
2023-11-21S13079681.42 ppb
2023-11-21S1307966ND