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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Acton Water Supply District

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

103

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND190ND
2015ND160ND
2016ND180ND
2017ND170ND
2018ND150ND
2019ND180ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) 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 dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Result
2014-02-20ND
2014-05-19ND
2014-07-16ND
2014-07-16ND
2014-07-16ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-04ND
2014-08-15ND
2014-08-15ND
2014-08-15ND
2014-08-15ND
2014-08-15ND
2014-08-26ND
2014-10-20ND
2015-06-26ND
2015-08-03ND
2015-08-03ND
2015-08-03ND
2015-08-03ND
2015-08-03ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-08-17ND
2015-09-14ND
2015-09-14ND
2015-09-14ND
2015-11-30ND
2016-02-10ND
2016-06-06ND
2016-07-14ND
2016-07-25ND
2016-07-29ND
2016-07-29ND
2016-07-29ND
2016-08-08ND
2016-09-07ND
2016-09-07ND
2016-09-07ND
2016-09-07ND
2016-09-07ND
2016-09-07ND
2016-09-22ND
2016-09-22ND
2016-09-22ND
2016-11-17ND
2017-02-01ND
2017-05-03ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-12ND
2017-07-27ND
2017-07-27ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-08-09ND
2017-12-11ND
2017-12-11ND
2017-12-11ND
2017-12-11ND
2018-03-14ND
2018-06-11ND
2018-07-26ND
2018-07-26ND
2018-07-26ND
2018-09-05ND
2018-09-05ND
2018-09-05ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-09-19ND
2018-12-10ND
2019-03-26ND
2019-05-14ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-25ND
2019-07-25ND
2019-07-25ND
2019-07-25ND
2019-07-31ND
2019-07-31ND
2019-09-10ND
2019-09-16ND
2019-09-16ND
2019-09-16ND
2019-09-16ND
2019-09-16ND
2019-09-16ND
2019-12-11ND