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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

City of Tallahassee

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

 

253

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

132

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.304 ppb5933ND - 1.15 ppb
20150.237 ppb3818ND - 0.910 ppb
20160.317 ppb3219ND - 1.91 ppb
20170.148 ppb5819ND - 0.940 ppb
20180.372 ppb3225ND - 1.000 ppb
20190.424 ppb3420ND - 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
2014-01-071.000 ppb
2014-01-071.000 ppb
2014-01-070.770 ppb
2014-01-070.410 ppb
2014-01-070.140 ppb
2014-01-070.0900 ppb
2014-01-07ND
2014-01-07ND
2014-01-280.890 ppb
2014-01-28ND
2014-01-28ND
2014-01-28ND
2014-01-28ND
2014-01-28ND
2014-03-110.350 ppb
2014-03-11ND
2014-03-11ND
2014-03-11ND
2014-03-11ND
2014-03-120.0800 ppb
2014-04-021.15 ppb
2014-04-021.000 ppb
2014-04-020.840 ppb
2014-04-020.780 ppb
2014-04-020.400 ppb
2014-04-020.120 ppb
2014-04-02ND
2014-04-02ND
2014-05-060.740 ppb
2014-05-060.120 ppb
2014-05-06ND
2014-05-06ND
2014-05-06ND
2014-07-010.930 ppb
2014-07-010.690 ppb
2014-07-010.570 ppb
2014-07-010.350 ppb
2014-07-010.250 ppb
2014-07-010.150 ppb
2014-07-01ND
2014-07-01ND
2014-07-220.830 ppb
2014-07-220.250 ppb
2014-07-22ND
2014-07-22ND
2014-07-22ND
2014-07-22ND
2014-09-090.900 ppb
2014-09-090.0800 ppb
2014-09-09ND
2014-09-09ND
2014-10-020.970 ppb
2014-10-020.800 ppb
2014-10-020.570 ppb
2014-10-020.340 ppb
2014-10-020.310 ppb
2014-10-020.0600 ppb
2014-10-02ND
2014-11-03ND
2015-01-060.910 ppb
2015-01-060.750 ppb
2015-01-06ND
2015-01-06ND
2015-01-06ND
2015-01-06ND
2015-01-140.600 ppb
2015-01-140.300 ppb
2015-04-010.910 ppb
2015-04-010.700 ppb
2015-04-010.470 ppb
2015-04-010.300 ppb
2015-04-010.240 ppb
2015-04-01ND
2015-04-01ND
2015-04-01ND
2015-06-110.880 ppb
2015-06-110.220 ppb
2015-06-11ND
2015-06-11ND
2015-06-11ND
2015-06-11ND
2015-07-230.820 ppb
2015-07-230.190 ppb
2015-07-23ND
2015-07-23ND
2015-07-23ND
2015-07-23ND
2015-07-23ND
2015-07-23ND
2015-10-010.860 ppb
2015-10-010.390 ppb
2015-10-010.270 ppb
2015-10-010.0900 ppb
2015-10-01ND
2015-10-01ND
2015-10-01ND
2015-10-070.0900 ppb
2016-01-060.350 ppb
2016-01-060.160 ppb
2016-01-060.450 ppb
2016-01-06ND
2016-01-060.1000 ppb
2016-01-06ND
2016-01-06ND
2016-01-061.08 ppb
2016-04-070.109 ppb
2016-04-070.590 ppb
2016-04-070.700 ppb
2016-04-07ND
2016-04-070.380 ppb
2016-04-07ND
2016-04-070.0700 ppb
2016-04-07ND
2016-07-13ND
2016-07-13ND
2016-07-130.270 ppb
2016-07-130.400 ppb
2016-07-130.640 ppb
2016-07-130.0600 ppb
2016-07-130.900 ppb
2016-07-13ND
2016-10-06ND
2016-10-061.91 ppb
2016-10-06ND
2016-10-06ND
2016-10-060.960 ppb
2016-10-06ND
2016-11-170.560 ppb
2016-11-170.450 ppb
2017-01-05ND
2017-01-05ND
2017-01-05ND
2017-01-24ND
2017-01-240.400 ppb
2017-01-240.160 ppb
2017-01-24ND
2017-01-24ND
2017-01-240.400 ppb
2017-01-24ND
2017-02-010.600 ppb
2017-02-01ND
2017-02-23ND
2017-03-08ND
2017-03-080.270 ppb
2017-03-080.940 ppb
2017-03-080.110 ppb
2017-03-08ND
2017-03-080.270 ppb
2017-03-08ND
2017-04-05ND
2017-04-05ND
2017-04-050.320 ppb
2017-04-050.250 ppb
2017-04-05ND
2017-06-050.360 ppb
2017-06-05ND
2017-06-20ND
2017-06-20ND
2017-06-20ND
2017-06-20ND
2017-06-20ND
2017-06-20ND
2017-07-05ND
2017-07-050.560 ppb
2017-07-05ND
2017-07-05ND
2017-07-050.780 ppb
2017-07-050.230 ppb
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-08-020.850 ppb
2017-09-14ND
2017-09-14ND
2017-09-14ND
2017-09-14ND
2017-09-20ND
2017-10-120.310 ppb
2017-10-120.650 ppb
2017-10-12ND
2017-10-120.750 ppb
2017-10-12ND
2017-10-120.400 ppb
2017-10-12ND
2017-10-12ND
2018-01-03ND
2018-01-030.320 ppb
2018-01-030.730 ppb
2018-01-03ND
2018-01-030.350 ppb
2018-01-03ND
2018-01-030.130 ppb
2018-01-03ND
2018-06-141.000 ppb
2018-06-14ND
2018-06-140.310 ppb
2018-06-140.430 ppb
2018-06-140.200 ppb
2018-06-140.260 ppb
2018-06-140.350 ppb
2018-06-140.660 ppb
2018-08-160.760 ppb
2018-08-160.360 ppb
2018-08-16ND
2018-08-160.500 ppb
2018-08-160.260 ppb
2018-08-160.360 ppb
2018-08-160.240 ppb
2018-08-160.670 ppb
2018-10-241.000 ppb
2018-10-240.640 ppb
2018-10-240.300 ppb
2018-10-240.500 ppb
2018-10-24ND
2018-10-240.490 ppb
2018-10-240.710 ppb
2018-10-240.380 ppb
2019-01-30ND
2019-01-30ND
2019-01-300.700 ppb
2019-01-30ND
2019-01-300.770 ppb
2019-01-300.520 ppb
2019-01-301.10 ppb
2019-01-30ND
2019-04-10ND
2019-04-10ND
2019-04-100.660 ppb
2019-04-100.400 ppb
2019-04-100.930 ppb
2019-04-100.760 ppb
2019-04-10ND
2019-05-281.000 ppb
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-160.780 ppb
2019-07-160.450 ppb
2019-07-160.700 ppb
2019-07-160.360 ppb
2019-07-160.780 ppb
2019-07-16ND
2019-07-160.270 ppb
2019-07-17ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-081.10 ppb
2019-10-080.770 ppb
2019-10-081.20 ppb
2019-10-080.360 ppb
2019-10-080.800 ppb
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-08ND
2019-10-15ND