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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Emerald Coast Utilities Authority

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

 

325

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

70

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.504 ppb6021ND - 4.59 ppb
20150.0963 ppb6214ND - 0.940 ppb
20160.112 ppb499ND - 2.30 ppb
20170.0281 ppb635ND - 0.730 ppb
20180.148 ppb4512ND - 1.24 ppb
20190.111 ppb469ND - 1.20 ppb

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 Result
2014-02-180.310 ppb
2014-02-18ND
2014-02-18ND
2014-02-191.13 ppb
2014-02-190.500 ppb
2014-02-19ND
2014-02-19ND
2014-02-201.62 ppb
2014-02-20ND
2014-02-20ND
2014-02-20ND
2014-04-211.79 ppb
2014-04-210.850 ppb
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-21ND
2014-04-221.74 ppb
2014-04-220.560 ppb
2014-04-22ND
2014-04-22ND
2014-04-23ND
2014-08-192.35 ppb
2014-08-191.86 ppb
2014-08-190.210 ppb
2014-08-19ND
2014-08-19ND
2014-08-19ND
2014-08-19ND
2014-08-19ND
2014-08-202.52 ppb
2014-08-201.69 ppb
2014-08-200.650 ppb
2014-08-20ND
2014-08-20ND
2014-08-20ND
2014-10-07ND
2014-10-07ND
2014-10-07ND
2014-10-07ND
2014-10-07ND
2014-10-08ND
2014-10-08ND
2014-10-08ND
2014-10-08ND
2014-10-090.160 ppb
2014-10-09ND
2014-10-09ND
2014-10-134.59 ppb
2014-10-132.02 ppb
2014-10-130.180 ppb
2014-10-13ND
2014-10-13ND
2014-10-13ND
2014-10-13ND
2014-10-142.40 ppb
2014-10-140.570 ppb
2014-12-032.55 ppb
2014-12-03ND
2015-02-230.590 ppb
2015-02-230.170 ppb
2015-02-23ND
2015-02-23ND
2015-02-240.430 ppb
2015-02-24ND
2015-02-24ND
2015-02-24ND
2015-04-03ND
2015-04-060.910 ppb
2015-04-060.650 ppb
2015-04-060.170 ppb
2015-04-06ND
2015-04-06ND
2015-04-06ND
2015-04-07ND
2015-04-07ND
2015-04-07ND
2015-05-04ND
2015-05-05ND
2015-05-05ND
2015-05-05ND
2015-05-05ND
2015-05-05ND
2015-05-05ND
2015-05-06ND
2015-05-07ND
2015-05-07ND
2015-05-07ND
2015-05-07ND
2015-05-07ND
2015-06-08ND
2015-06-10ND
2015-06-180.200 ppb
2015-06-18ND
2015-06-18ND
2015-07-060.190 ppb
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-070.940 ppb
2015-07-070.210 ppb
2015-07-070.200 ppb
2015-07-07ND
2015-07-07ND
2015-07-07ND
2015-07-07ND
2015-10-050.270 ppb
2015-10-050.200 ppb
2015-10-05ND
2015-10-05ND
2015-10-05ND
2015-10-05ND
2015-10-05ND
2015-10-060.840 ppb
2015-10-06ND
2015-10-06ND
2015-10-06ND
2015-10-06ND
2015-10-06ND
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-050.220 ppb
2016-01-050.190 ppb
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-060.170 ppb
2016-01-06ND
2016-01-060.870 ppb
2016-01-06ND
2016-01-06ND
2016-01-06ND
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-160.590 ppb
2016-05-16ND
2016-05-19ND
2016-05-19ND
2016-05-19ND
2016-05-19ND
2016-05-190.200 ppb
2016-07-19ND
2016-07-19ND
2016-07-190.780 ppb
2016-07-19ND
2016-07-20ND
2016-07-20ND
2016-07-20ND
2016-07-20ND
2016-07-20ND
2016-07-21ND
2016-07-21ND
2016-11-01ND
2016-11-01ND
2016-11-01ND
2016-11-01ND
2016-11-02ND
2016-11-02ND
2016-11-02ND
2016-11-020.180 ppb
2016-11-02ND
2016-11-022.30 ppb
2016-11-02ND
2016-11-02ND
2017-01-17ND
2017-01-17ND
2017-01-170.190 ppb
2017-01-17ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-18ND
2017-01-23ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-04-050.230 ppb
2017-04-05ND
2017-04-05ND
2017-04-05ND
2017-04-050.150 ppb
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-110.470 ppb
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-19ND
2017-07-24ND
2017-09-19ND
2017-09-20ND
2017-10-10ND
2017-10-10ND
2017-10-100.730 ppb
2017-10-10ND
2017-10-10ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-12ND
2018-02-05ND
2018-02-05ND
2018-02-05ND
2018-02-05ND
2018-02-05ND
2018-02-06ND
2018-02-06ND
2018-02-06ND
2018-02-06ND
2018-02-061.09 ppb
2018-02-08ND
2018-04-091.24 ppb
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-110.170 ppb
2018-04-11ND
2018-04-11ND
2018-04-110.170 ppb
2018-04-12ND
2018-04-12ND
2018-04-12ND
2018-04-160.410 ppb
2018-04-16ND
2018-04-16ND
2018-07-170.340 ppb
2018-07-17ND
2018-07-17ND
2018-07-17ND
2018-07-17ND
2018-07-181.22 ppb
2018-07-18ND
2018-07-18ND
2018-07-18ND
2018-07-18ND
2018-10-01ND
2018-10-01ND
2018-10-010.150 ppb
2018-10-01ND
2018-10-01ND
2018-10-01ND
2018-10-011.21 ppb
2018-10-010.150 ppb
2018-10-010.350 ppb
2018-10-01ND
2018-10-010.160 ppb
2019-02-04ND
2019-02-04ND
2019-02-04ND
2019-02-05ND
2019-02-05ND
2019-02-05ND
2019-02-06ND
2019-02-060.500 ppb
2019-02-060.230 ppb
2019-03-061.20 ppb
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-21ND
2019-05-22ND
2019-05-22ND
2019-05-22ND
2019-05-220.380 ppb
2019-05-220.450 ppb
2019-05-22ND
2019-05-22ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-17ND
2019-07-170.520 ppb
2019-07-170.420 ppb
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-080.760 ppb
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-080.640 ppb
2019-10-09ND
2019-10-09ND