Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Palmer Water District No.1

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)

5

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.187 ppb61ND - 1.12 ppb
20190.183 ppb61ND - 1.10 ppb
20200.125 ppb81ND - 1.000 ppb
20210.0888 ppb81ND - 0.710 ppb
2022ND70ND
20230.0971 ppb71ND - 0.680 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 Result
2018-08-06ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-141.12 ppb
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2019-08-12ND
2019-08-13ND
2019-08-131.10 ppb
2019-08-13ND
2019-08-13ND
2019-11-19ND
2020-01-15ND
2020-04-08ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-091.000 ppb
2020-09-09ND
2020-12-03ND
2021-01-07ND
2021-04-06ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-270.710 ppb
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-11-09ND
2022-01-05ND
2022-04-05ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2023-03-07ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-180.680 ppb
2023-10-17ND