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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Seminole County Northwest

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

87

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND140ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND110ND
2017ND130ND
2018ND250ND
2019ND200ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) 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 dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Result
2014-01-07ND
2014-02-04ND
2014-02-04ND
2014-02-05ND
2014-03-03ND
2014-04-01ND
2014-05-05ND
2014-06-03ND
2014-07-10ND
2014-08-07ND
2014-09-10ND
2014-10-15ND
2014-11-04ND
2014-12-09ND
2015-01-08ND
2015-02-12ND
2015-11-17ND
2015-12-09ND
2016-01-12ND
2016-02-10ND
2016-03-09ND
2016-04-04ND
2016-05-09ND
2016-06-13ND
2016-07-11ND
2016-08-11ND
2016-10-18ND
2016-11-10ND
2016-12-13ND
2017-01-12ND
2017-02-06ND
2017-02-16ND
2017-03-09ND
2017-04-13ND
2017-05-04ND
2017-06-05ND
2017-07-17ND
2017-08-08ND
2017-09-18ND
2017-10-18ND
2017-11-06ND
2017-12-07ND
2018-01-10ND
2018-02-08ND
2018-03-08ND
2018-04-09ND
2018-05-08ND
2018-06-06ND
2018-07-11ND
2018-08-07ND
2018-08-07ND
2018-08-07ND
2018-09-13ND
2018-09-13ND
2018-09-13ND
2018-09-13ND
2018-10-08ND
2018-10-08ND
2018-10-08ND
2018-10-08ND
2018-11-06ND
2018-11-06ND
2018-11-06ND
2018-11-06ND
2018-11-06ND
2018-12-04ND
2018-12-04ND
2019-01-09ND
2019-02-07ND
2019-03-14ND
2019-03-14ND
2019-04-04ND
2019-04-04ND
2019-04-04ND
2019-04-04ND
2019-05-08ND
2019-06-12ND
2019-06-12ND
2019-06-12ND
2019-07-02ND
2019-08-08ND
2019-08-08ND
2019-09-11ND
2019-10-16ND
2019-11-07ND
2019-12-12ND
2019-12-12ND