Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Brewster 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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

135

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	ND	5	0	ND
2015	0.117 ppb	25	4	ND - 0.820 ppb
2016	0.227 ppb	26	5	ND - 1.90 ppb
2017	0.0661 ppb	28	3	ND - 0.690 ppb
2018	0.0879 ppb	29	4	ND - 0.730 ppb
2019	0.0318 ppb	22	1	ND - 0.700 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-03-11	ND
2014-03-11	ND
2014-03-11	ND
2014-03-11	ND
2014-03-11	ND
2015-01-13	ND
2015-01-13	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	0.820 ppb
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	0.610 ppb
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	0.770 ppb
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	0.730 ppb
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2015-05-12	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	1.90 ppb
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	0.570 ppb
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	1.60 ppb
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	1.20 ppb
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	0.620 ppb
2016-08-12	ND
2017-01-11	ND
2017-01-11	ND
2017-01-11	ND
2017-01-11	ND
2017-01-13	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	0.690 ppb
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	0.540 ppb
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	0.620 ppb
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2017-01-24	ND
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	0.730 ppb
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	0.580 ppb
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	0.610 ppb
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	ND
2018-02-12	0.630 ppb
2018-04-27	ND
2019-01-28	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	0.700 ppb
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND
2019-02-11	ND