Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Polk City Water Supply

NOTE: Polk City Water Supply purchases water from Des Moines Water Works which is required to test for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). Sample information shown below was taken by Des Moines Water Works.

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.

 

15

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

2

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND20ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

NOTE: Polk City Water Supply purchases water from Des Moines Water Works which is required to test for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). Sample information shown below was taken by Des Moines Water Works.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-07-09OE680202ND
2018-07-16OE683859ND
2018-08-02OE6931760.600 ppb
2018-10-08OE724008ND
2018-11-01OE7350121.000 ppb
2019-07-09OE831885ND
2019-07-16OE835743ND
2019-08-21OE854920ND
2020-10-12OE1332018ND
2021-07-06OE1748365ND
2021-07-06OE1748381ND
2022-07-05OE2128016ND
2022-07-05OE2128018ND
2022-09-19OE2175664ND
2023-10-16OE2350834ND