Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

City of Chubbuck

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.

 

54

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

34

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20181.91 ppb10100.520 ppb - 5.23 ppb
20190.711 ppb127ND - 3.05 ppb
20200.889 ppb85ND - 3.73 ppb
20210.584 ppb84ND - 2.33 ppb
20220.293 ppb83ND - 0.880 ppb
20230.606 ppb85ND - 1.07 ppb

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

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-14VI802087010.740 ppb
2018-02-21VI802128012.98 ppb
2018-04-24VI804209015.23 ppb
2018-04-24VI804209020.520 ppb
2018-04-24VI804209031.29 ppb
2018-04-24VI804209040.720 ppb
2018-07-31VI807402012.47 ppb
2018-07-31VI807402020.890 ppb
2018-11-07VI811052020.940 ppb
2018-11-07VI811052013.36 ppb
2019-01-08VI901046010.660 ppb
2019-01-16VI901109013.05 ppb
2019-03-28VI90320301ND
2019-03-28VI903204010.880 ppb
2019-04-10VI90408601ND
2019-05-14VI905123011.79 ppb
2019-06-04VI90604901ND
2019-06-11VI906153010.600 ppb
2019-07-10VI907125010.700 ppb
2019-09-04VI90903501ND
2019-10-31VI91031701ND
2019-11-05VI911024010.850 ppb
2020-01-21VI001107010.800 ppb
2020-02-05VI00202601ND
2020-03-18VI00315701ND
2020-05-04VI00500701ND
2020-06-10VI006172013.73 ppb
2020-06-10VI006172020.760 ppb
2020-07-29VI007344010.880 ppb
2020-10-12VI010132010.940 ppb
2021-01-12VI101059010.790 ppb
2021-02-23VI10214702ND
2021-02-23VI102147012.33 ppb
2021-03-16VI10311101ND
2021-04-20VI104163010.730 ppb
2021-08-16VI10818201ND
2021-08-16VI10818202ND
2021-11-02VI111020010.820 ppb
2022-01-11VI201074010.730 ppb
2022-04-20VI204190010.730 ppb
2022-05-16VI20515801ND
2022-07-11VI20710901ND
2022-07-20VI207317010.880 ppb
2022-07-27VI20740701ND
2022-08-03VI20805701ND
2022-10-19VI21019301ND
2023-02-22VI302162011.02 ppb
2023-05-03VI305045010.950 ppb
2023-06-21VI30635501ND
2023-06-21VI30635502ND
2023-07-18VI307234010.830 ppb
2023-08-07VI308096010.980 ppb
2023-08-07VI30809602ND
2023-10-02VI310014011.07 ppb