Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Andrews Water Department

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.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND50ND
2021ND120ND
2022ND160ND
2023ND90ND

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
2020-06-22DK35115ND
2020-06-2750261040001ND
2020-07-2320072479-001ND
2020-09-1020091027-002ND
2020-11-2320112107-002AREV2ND
2021-02-1021021011-001AND
2021-05-1021050821-001AND
2021-07-2021071758-001AND
2021-08-1821081685-001AND
2021-08-2021082037-002AND
2021-08-2021082037-003AND
2021-08-2021082037-004AND
2021-08-2021082037-001AND
2021-11-2221112028-002AND
2021-11-2221112028-001AND
2021-12-0221120159-001AND
2021-12-0221120159-002AND
2022-01-2622011891-001AND
2022-01-2622011891-002AND
2022-02-1522020997-004AND
2022-02-1522020997-003AND
2022-05-23112708-2ND
2022-05-23112708-1ND
2022-08-16122459-1ND
2022-08-16122459-2ND
2022-11-17132023-1ND
2022-11-29132892-1ND
2022-11-29132892-3ND
2022-11-29132892-2ND
2022-12-02133268-2ND
2022-12-02133268-1ND
2022-12-08133928-2ND
2022-12-08133928-1ND
2023-01-24138157-1ND
2023-01-24138157-2ND
2023-05-08148546-1ND
2023-05-08148546-2ND
2023-08-23160623-2ND
2023-08-23160623-4ND
2023-08-23160623-5ND
2023-11-21169747-1ND
2023-11-21169747-2ND