Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

City of Bogalusa Water System

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.

 

20

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND50ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND20ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-04-0435384487001ND
2018-04-0435384487002ND
2018-04-0435384487001ND
2018-04-0435384487002ND
2019-07-1635483080002ND
2019-07-1635483080001ND
2019-07-1635483080002ND
2019-07-1635483080001ND
2020-07-2135565361003ND
2020-07-2135565361005ND
2020-07-2135565361004ND
2020-07-2135565361002ND
2020-07-2135565361001ND
2022-09-1235747173001ND
2022-09-1435747176001ND
2023-08-0735819735001ND
2023-08-0735819735002ND
2023-08-0735819735003ND
2023-12-1135847875001ND
2023-12-1135847875002ND