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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Peoples Water Service 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

 

249

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

94

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.503 ppb4015ND - 2.10 ppb
20150.535 ppb4519ND - 2.70 ppb
20160.594 ppb3718ND - 1.70 ppb
20170.604 ppb4114ND - 2.40 ppb
20180.496 ppb4416ND - 3.60 ppb
20190.303 ppb4212ND - 3.30 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
2014-01-130.780 ppb
2014-01-13ND
2014-01-141.60 ppb
2014-01-14ND
2014-02-131.60 ppb
2014-02-13ND
2014-02-13ND
2014-02-191.20 ppb
2014-03-121.70 ppb
2014-03-12ND
2014-03-12ND
2014-05-141.40 ppb
2014-05-14ND
2014-05-14ND
2014-05-14ND
2014-06-111.50 ppb
2014-06-11ND
2014-06-11ND
2014-07-141.40 ppb
2014-07-140.520 ppb
2014-07-14ND
2014-07-14ND
2014-07-14ND
2014-08-131.30 ppb
2014-08-13ND
2014-08-13ND
2014-09-111.30 ppb
2014-09-11ND
2014-09-11ND
2014-10-091.30 ppb
2014-10-090.630 ppb
2014-10-09ND
2014-10-09ND
2014-10-09ND
2014-11-121.80 ppb
2014-11-12ND
2014-11-12ND
2014-12-102.10 ppb
2014-12-10ND
2014-12-10ND
2015-01-132.70 ppb
2015-01-130.870 ppb
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-01-13ND
2015-02-080.220 ppb
2015-02-111.20 ppb
2015-02-11ND
2015-02-11ND
2015-03-091.30 ppb
2015-03-09ND
2015-03-09ND
2015-04-081.20 ppb
2015-04-080.780 ppb
2015-04-080.370 ppb
2015-04-08ND
2015-04-08ND
2015-05-131.50 ppb
2015-05-13ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-06-151.50 ppb
2015-06-15ND
2015-06-15ND
2015-07-061.50 ppb
2015-07-060.760 ppb
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-06ND
2015-07-06ND
2015-08-120.990 ppb
2015-08-12ND
2015-08-12ND
2015-09-081.60 ppb
2015-09-081.30 ppb
2015-09-08ND
2015-10-121.50 ppb
2015-10-121.20 ppb
2015-10-12ND
2015-10-12ND
2015-11-111.80 ppb
2015-11-11ND
2015-11-11ND
2015-11-12ND
2015-12-071.80 ppb
2015-12-07ND
2015-12-07ND
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-051.60 ppb
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-05ND
2016-01-050.310 ppb
2016-02-081.60 ppb
2016-02-08ND
2016-03-08ND
2016-03-08ND
2016-03-081.70 ppb
2016-04-06ND
2016-04-06ND
2016-04-060.620 ppb
2016-04-061.60 ppb
2016-04-060.510 ppb
2016-05-02ND
2016-05-02ND
2016-05-021.40 ppb
2016-06-07ND
2016-06-07ND
2016-06-071.50 ppb
2016-07-12ND
2016-07-120.470 ppb
2016-07-121.60 ppb
2016-07-12ND
2016-07-12ND
2016-08-151.50 ppb
2016-09-06ND
2016-09-061.30 ppb
2016-09-06ND
2016-10-110.350 ppb
2016-10-111.70 ppb
2016-10-111.60 ppb
2016-10-11ND
2016-10-111.10 ppb
2016-12-13ND
2016-12-131.50 ppb
2017-01-16ND
2017-01-161.80 ppb
2017-01-16ND
2017-02-01ND
2017-02-011.40 ppb
2017-03-06ND
2017-03-06ND
2017-03-061.70 ppb
2017-03-28ND
2017-04-10ND
2017-04-10ND
2017-04-10ND
2017-04-101.70 ppb
2017-04-100.360 ppb
2017-05-08ND
2017-05-08ND
2017-05-081.90 ppb
2017-06-14ND
2017-06-14ND
2017-06-142.30 ppb
2017-07-112.00 ppb
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-11ND
2017-07-111.30 ppb
2017-07-19ND
2017-08-092.10 ppb
2017-08-09ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-09-182.00 ppb
2017-09-18ND
2017-09-18ND
2017-10-112.40 ppb
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-10-11ND
2017-11-08ND
2017-11-082.10 ppb
2017-11-08ND
2017-12-12ND
2017-12-121.70 ppb
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-02-14ND
2018-03-142.00 ppb
2018-03-14ND
2018-04-110.720 ppb
2018-04-11ND
2018-04-110.530 ppb
2018-04-11ND
2018-04-113.00 ppb
2018-05-091.80 ppb
2018-05-09ND
2018-05-09ND
2018-06-130.660 ppb
2018-06-13ND
2018-06-203.60 ppb
2018-07-091.70 ppb
2018-07-090.440 ppb
2018-07-090.630 ppb
2018-07-09ND
2018-07-09ND
2018-08-130.790 ppb
2018-08-13ND
2018-08-131.90 ppb
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-10-080.280 ppb
2018-10-081.60 ppb
2018-10-08ND
2018-10-080.470 ppb
2018-10-08ND
2018-11-12ND
2018-11-12ND
2018-11-121.70 ppb
2018-12-10ND
2018-12-10ND
2018-12-10ND
2018-12-10ND
2019-01-15ND
2019-01-15ND
2019-01-15ND
2019-01-15ND
2019-02-12ND
2019-02-12ND
2019-03-12ND
2019-03-12ND
2019-03-12ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-04-09ND
2019-05-200.350 ppb
2019-05-203.30 ppb
2019-05-20ND
2019-06-172.10 ppb
2019-06-170.350 ppb
2019-06-170.490 ppb
2019-07-08ND
2019-07-08ND
2019-07-090.510 ppb
2019-07-09ND
2019-07-110.830 ppb
2019-08-12ND
2019-08-120.800 ppb
2019-08-13ND
2019-09-101.10 ppb
2019-09-10ND
2019-09-10ND
2019-10-07ND
2019-10-07ND
2019-10-07ND
2019-10-07ND
2019-10-07ND
2019-11-110.600 ppb
2019-11-11ND
2019-11-111.30 ppb
2019-12-10ND
2019-12-10ND
2019-12-101.000 ppb