Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Tangipahoa Parish Water District

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
2018ND220ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND70ND
2021ND50ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND80ND

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
2018-01-2935371217004ND
2018-01-2935371217003ND
2018-01-2935371217002ND
2018-01-2935371217001ND
2018-01-2935371217001ND
2018-01-2935371217002ND
2018-01-2935371217003ND
2018-01-2935371217004ND
2018-05-0735391332001ND
2018-05-0735391332002ND
2018-05-0735391332002ND
2018-05-0735391332001ND
2018-12-0335434998002ND
2018-12-0335434998005ND
2018-12-0335434998003ND
2018-12-0335434998002ND
2018-12-0335434998001ND
2018-12-0335434998005ND
2018-12-0335434998004ND
2018-12-0335434998003ND
2018-12-0335434998001ND
2018-12-0335434998004ND
2020-03-0235535343001ND
2020-11-1635593782003ND
2020-11-1635593782004ND
2020-11-1635593782005ND
2020-11-1635593782006ND
2020-11-1635593782001ND
2020-11-1635593782002ND
2021-11-0135675416004ND
2021-11-0135675416005ND
2021-11-0135675416003ND
2021-11-0135675416002ND
2021-11-0135675416001ND
2023-03-2835789166001ND
2023-10-2535837335001ND
2023-10-2535837335002ND
2023-11-0635840552001ND
2023-11-0635840552002ND
2023-11-0635840552003ND
2023-11-0635840552004ND
2023-11-0635840552005ND