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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Lihue-Kapaa

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

 

46

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

2

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND20ND
2015ND20ND
2016ND180ND
2017ND20ND
20180.0952 ppb212ND - 1.000 ppb
2019ND10ND

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 Lab ID Result
2014-04-14C14-04-0132AND
2014-04-14C14-04-0131AND
2015-12-07C15-12-0019AND
2015-12-07C15-12-0020AND
2016-03-07ND
2016-03-07ND
2016-03-07ND
2016-03-09ND
2016-03-09ND
2016-03-09ND
2016-03-09ND
2016-03-21ND
2016-03-21ND
2016-03-21ND
2016-03-21ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-22ND
2016-03-23ND
2016-04-04ND
2016-04-04ND
2016-04-04ND
2017-04-12ND
2017-04-26ND
2018-03-05C18-03-0038AND
2018-03-05C18-03-0037AND
2018-03-05C18-03-0039AND
2018-03-05C18-03-0040AND
2018-03-05C18-03-0009AND
2018-03-05C18-03-0041AND
2018-03-05C18-03-0010AND
2018-03-06C18-03-0036AND
2018-03-06C18-03-0035AND
2018-03-07C18-03-0065AND
2018-03-07C18-03-0067AND
2018-03-07C18-03-0066AND
2018-03-19C18-03-0113AND
2018-03-19C18-03-0112AND
2018-03-19C18-03-0114AND
2018-03-22201803230452ND
2018-04-05201804070189ND
2018-04-11201804160781ND
2018-04-19201804200511ND
2018-07-122018070000001.000 ppb
2018-07-122018071308801.000 ppb
2019-03-11C19-03-0035AND