Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Hamilton 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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

5

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.149 ppb112ND - 0.870 ppb
2019N/A00N/A
20200.0950 ppb61ND - 0.570 ppb
2021ND20ND
20220.183 ppb61ND - 1.10 ppb
20230.140 ppb61ND - 0.840 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
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-260.870 ppb
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-260.770 ppb
2018-04-26ND
2018-04-26ND
2020-02-26ND
2020-02-26ND
2020-04-19ND
2020-04-19ND
2020-04-19ND
2020-04-190.570 ppb
2021-02-02ND
2021-02-04ND
2022-01-18ND
2022-01-18ND
2022-05-031.10 ppb
2022-05-03ND
2022-05-03ND
2022-05-03ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-05-02ND
2023-05-02ND
2023-05-020.840 ppb
2023-05-02ND