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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Plymouth 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

 

131

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

60

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014N/A00N/A
20150.486 ppb2612ND - 2.22 ppb
20160.577 ppb2713ND - 2.26 ppb
20170.420 ppb2712ND - 1.28 ppb
20180.462 ppb2512ND - 1.57 ppb
20190.547 ppb2611ND - 2.19 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
2015-03-250.850 ppb
2015-03-25ND
2015-03-251.04 ppb
2015-03-25ND
2015-03-25ND
2015-03-250.700 ppb
2015-03-25ND
2015-03-250.680 ppb
2015-03-252.22 ppb
2015-03-250.860 ppb
2015-03-250.790 ppb
2015-05-110.770 ppb
2015-05-111.11 ppb
2015-08-041.29 ppb
2015-11-240.970 ppb
2015-11-241.36 ppb
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-11-24ND
2015-12-14ND
2016-02-231.45 ppb
2016-02-23ND
2016-02-231.01 ppb
2016-02-230.530 ppb
2016-02-230.970 ppb
2016-02-230.630 ppb
2016-02-231.75 ppb
2016-02-231.22 ppb
2016-02-230.790 ppb
2016-03-10ND
2016-03-10ND
2016-05-24ND
2016-05-240.720 ppb
2016-08-161.67 ppb
2016-08-161.67 ppb
2016-10-050.900 ppb
2016-10-052.26 ppb
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-10-05ND
2016-11-21ND
2017-01-24ND
2017-01-300.990 ppb
2017-01-30ND
2017-01-301.28 ppb
2017-01-300.610 ppb
2017-01-300.560 ppb
2017-01-300.710 ppb
2017-01-30ND
2017-01-30ND
2017-01-301.22 ppb
2017-01-301.08 ppb
2017-01-301.03 ppb
2017-05-230.780 ppb
2017-05-230.930 ppb
2017-08-221.000 ppb
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-071.15 ppb
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2017-12-07ND
2018-02-280.910 ppb
2018-02-28ND
2018-02-28ND
2018-02-280.530 ppb
2018-02-280.730 ppb
2018-02-28ND
2018-02-280.870 ppb
2018-02-280.880 ppb
2018-02-281.000 ppb
2018-02-280.720 ppb
2018-03-011.07 ppb
2018-05-15ND
2018-06-26ND
2018-06-261.22 ppb
2018-08-141.30 ppb
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-23ND
2018-10-310.740 ppb
2018-10-311.57 ppb
2018-12-19ND
2019-03-280.680 ppb
2019-03-28ND
2019-03-281.40 ppb
2019-03-28ND
2019-03-28ND
2019-03-281.06 ppb
2019-03-28ND
2019-03-280.920 ppb
2019-03-282.19 ppb
2019-03-281.12 ppb
2019-03-28ND
2019-05-150.790 ppb
2019-05-151.18 ppb
2019-07-161.54 ppb
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-10-03ND
2019-11-061.53 ppb
2019-11-061.81 ppb