Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Hanson 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.

 

126

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

23

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0778 ppb182ND - 0.700 ppb
20190.156 ppb182ND - 2.10 ppb
20200.113 ppb315ND - 0.900 ppb
20210.0579 ppb192ND - 0.600 ppb
20220.362 ppb136ND - 1.27 ppb
20230.144 ppb276ND - 1.10 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
2018-02-26ND
2018-02-26ND
2018-02-260.700 ppb
2018-02-26ND
2018-02-26ND
2018-06-11ND
2018-06-11ND
2018-06-11ND
2018-06-120.700 ppb
2018-06-12ND
2018-06-12ND
2018-06-12ND
2018-06-12ND
2018-06-12ND
2018-08-27ND
2018-08-27ND
2018-11-26ND
2018-11-26ND
2019-02-11ND
2019-02-11ND
2019-02-11ND
2019-02-11ND
2019-02-11ND
2019-06-03ND
2019-06-03ND
2019-06-03ND
2019-06-03ND
2019-06-03ND
2019-06-03ND
2019-06-032.10 ppb
2019-06-030.700 ppb
2019-06-03ND
2019-08-20ND
2019-08-20ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2020-01-28ND
2020-01-28ND
2020-01-280.900 ppb
2020-01-28ND
2020-01-28ND
2020-01-28ND
2020-01-28ND
2020-01-29ND
2020-01-29ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-02-05ND
2020-06-080.700 ppb
2020-06-080.600 ppb
2020-06-08ND
2020-06-08ND
2020-06-08ND
2020-06-080.500 ppb
2020-06-10ND
2020-06-10ND
2020-06-10ND
2020-10-060.800 ppb
2020-10-06ND
2021-02-17ND
2021-02-17ND
2021-02-170.600 ppb
2021-02-17ND
2021-02-17ND
2021-05-12ND
2021-05-120.500 ppb
2021-05-12ND
2021-05-12ND
2021-05-12ND
2021-05-12ND
2021-05-12ND
2021-05-12ND
2021-06-28ND
2021-08-05ND
2021-08-09ND
2021-08-09ND
2021-12-07ND
2021-12-07ND
2022-01-12ND
2022-01-12ND
2022-01-12ND
2022-01-120.960 ppb
2022-05-03ND
2022-05-03ND
2022-05-030.860 ppb
2022-05-030.620 ppb
2022-05-030.500 ppb
2022-05-031.27 ppb
2022-05-04ND
2022-08-08ND
2022-11-080.500 ppb
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-011.10 ppb
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-010.600 ppb
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-02-01ND
2023-05-23ND
2023-05-23ND
2023-05-23ND
2023-05-230.500 ppb
2023-05-230.600 ppb
2023-05-230.500 ppb
2023-05-30ND
2023-08-080.600 ppb
2023-11-14ND