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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Falmouth 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

 

195

Samples

2

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

31

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014N/A00N/A
20150.361 ppb304ND - 3.42 ppb
20160.236 ppb438ND - 3.15 ppb
20170.191 ppb436ND - 2.51 ppb
20180.198 ppb406ND - 3.03 ppb
20190.844 ppb397ND - 16.0 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
2015-01-05ND
2015-01-05ND
2015-01-05ND
2015-01-05ND
2015-01-06ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-04-02ND
2015-04-02ND
2015-07-07ND
2015-07-07ND
2015-07-13ND
2015-07-13ND
2015-07-13ND
2015-07-13ND
2015-07-13ND
2015-07-13ND
2015-08-20ND
2015-10-151.72 ppb
2015-10-153.42 ppb
2015-10-15ND
2015-10-272.84 ppb
2015-10-272.86 ppb
2016-01-11ND
2016-01-11ND
2016-01-12ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-130.680 ppb
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-13ND
2016-01-141.66 ppb
2016-01-141.04 ppb
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-140.760 ppb
2016-01-14ND
2016-01-141.34 ppb
2016-01-26ND
2016-01-27ND
2016-01-27ND
2016-01-28ND
2016-02-04ND
2016-02-05ND
2016-02-08ND
2016-02-09ND
2016-02-10ND
2016-04-11ND
2016-04-110.980 ppb
2016-04-11ND
2016-04-11ND
2016-05-20ND
2016-07-18ND
2016-07-27ND
2016-07-27ND
2016-07-27ND
2016-07-27ND
2016-07-270.550 ppb
2016-07-27ND
2016-10-04ND
2016-10-043.15 ppb
2016-10-04ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-030.520 ppb
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-030.750 ppb
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-031.52 ppb
2017-01-03ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-01-04ND
2017-04-06ND
2017-04-060.730 ppb
2017-04-06ND
2017-04-06ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-07-10ND
2017-10-24ND
2017-11-082.19 ppb
2017-11-082.51 ppb
2018-01-082.04 ppb
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-080.560 ppb
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-080.680 ppb
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-080.720 ppb
2018-01-08ND
2018-01-08ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-10ND
2018-04-17ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-16ND
2018-07-17ND
2018-07-17ND
2018-10-020.900 ppb
2018-10-023.03 ppb
2018-10-02ND
2018-10-09ND
2019-01-08ND
2019-01-254.02 ppb
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-2516.0 ppb
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-258.78 ppb
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-01-250.540 ppb
2019-01-25ND
2019-02-04ND
2019-02-04ND
2019-04-030.550 ppb
2019-04-030.880 ppb
2019-04-03ND
2019-04-03ND
2019-05-15ND
2019-05-15ND
2019-07-09ND
2019-07-09ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-07-15ND
2019-10-01ND
2019-10-012.15 ppb
2019-10-01ND
2019-10-01ND
2019-10-01ND