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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Carbon tetrachloride

Bayleaf Master

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

258

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND530ND
2015ND460ND
2016ND370ND
2017ND410ND
2018ND440ND
2019ND370ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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 carbon tetrachloride, established in 1987, 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 carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-06C316053-01ND
2014-01-16C316060-01ND
2014-01-20C316039-01ND
2014-01-21C316067-01ND
2014-01-23C316024-01RE1ND
2014-02-19C316072-03ND
2014-02-24C316029-01ND
2014-02-24C402088-01ND
2014-02-24C402088-03ND
2014-02-24C402088-05ND
2014-02-26C316050-01ND
2014-02-26C316064-01ND
2014-02-26C316064-03ND
2014-04-03C404036-01ND
2014-04-07C403014-01ND
2014-04-10C403007-01ND
2014-04-15C404043-01ND
2014-04-17C402981-01ND
2014-04-22C404026-01ND
2014-04-24C403020-01RE1ND
2014-05-08C402995-01ND
2014-05-14C403005-01ND
2014-05-19C403003-01ND
2014-07-08C407804-11ND
2014-07-08C407789-01ND
2014-07-09C407804-09ND
2014-07-09C408790-01ND
2014-07-09C408790-03ND
2014-07-10C409083-01ND
2014-07-10C409083-03ND
2014-07-10C409083-05ND
2014-07-15C407786-01ND
2014-07-16C407802-01ND
2014-07-16C407802-03ND
2014-07-16C407808-01ND
2014-07-16C407808-03ND
2014-07-16C407809-01ND
2014-07-16C408015-01ND
2014-07-21C407799-01ND
2014-07-21C408796-01ND
2014-07-22C407780-01ND
2014-07-22C407780-03ND
2014-07-22C407793-01ND
2014-07-23C407805-01ND
2014-07-23C407816-01ND
2014-07-31C407784-05ND
2014-08-02C409900-03ND
2014-08-04C409900-01ND
2014-08-05C407795-01ND
2014-10-07C411987-01ND
2014-10-07C411995-01ND
2014-10-13C412200-01ND
2014-10-21C411998-01ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-01-14ND
2015-01-19ND
2015-01-21ND
2015-01-23ND
2015-01-23ND
2015-01-26ND
2015-01-27ND
2015-01-28ND
2015-02-04ND
2015-04-08ND
2015-04-08ND
2015-04-09ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-04-13ND
2015-04-15ND
2015-04-15ND
2015-04-29ND
2015-04-29ND
2015-04-29ND
2015-04-30ND
2015-04-30ND
2015-05-06ND
2015-05-06ND
2015-05-11ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-05-13ND
2015-07-10ND
2015-07-15ND
2015-07-15ND
2015-07-20ND
2015-07-21ND
2015-07-22ND
2015-07-22ND
2015-07-29ND
2015-07-30ND
2015-07-30ND
2015-07-31ND
2015-08-05ND
2015-08-07ND
2015-08-27ND
2015-10-14ND
2015-10-16ND
2015-10-16ND
2016-01-04C515809-01ND
2016-01-04C515809-03ND
2016-01-05C515769-01ND
2016-01-05C515769-05ND
2016-01-05C515813-01ND
2016-01-07C515774-01ND
2016-02-02CZ01456-01ND
2016-02-10C515827-01ND
2016-03-23CZ02856-01ND
2016-04-18CZ03115-01ND
2016-04-18CZ03129-01ND
2016-04-18CZ03155-03ND
2016-04-19CZ03121-03ND
2016-04-20CZ03114-01ND
2016-04-20CZ03123-01ND
2016-04-20CZ03147-01ND
2016-04-20CZ05544-01ND
2016-04-21CZ03117-01ND
2016-04-21CZ03117-03ND
2016-04-25CZ05704-01ND
2016-04-26CZ03158-01ND
2016-05-16CZ03160-01ND
2016-05-19CZ03143-01ND
2016-05-27CZ03519-01ND
2016-07-08CZ08306-01ND
2016-07-11CZ08298-01ND
2016-07-21CZ08297-01ND
2016-07-28CZ08311-01ND
2016-07-28CZ08316-01ND
2016-07-28CZ08319-01ND
2016-08-04CZ08301-01ND
2016-08-04CZ08304-01ND
2016-08-04CZ08304-03ND
2016-08-16CZ08307-01ND
2016-09-19CZ08292-01ND
2016-10-04CZ13742-01ND
2016-11-17CZ13729-01ND
2017-01-16CZ18678-01ND
2017-01-16CZ18678-03ND
2017-01-16CZ18690-01ND
2017-01-19CZ18702-01ND
2017-01-19CZ18702-03ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-01ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-03ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-05ND
2017-01-19CZ18710-07ND
2017-01-20CZ18668-01ND
2017-02-02CZ18705-01ND
2017-03-29CZ18697-01ND
2017-04-17CA02837-01ND
2017-04-19CA02827-01ND
2017-04-19CA02839-01ND
2017-04-26CA02841-01ND
2017-06-08CA02850-01ND
2017-07-13CA07676-01ND
2017-07-13CA07692-01ND
2017-07-17CA07668-05ND
2017-07-17CA07673-01ND
2017-07-17CA07682-09ND
2017-07-18CA10950-01ND
2017-07-18CA10950-03ND
2017-07-18CA10950-05ND
2017-07-20CA07881-01ND
2017-07-20CA07665-01ND
2017-07-21CA11118-01ND
2017-08-01CA07670-01ND
2017-08-01CA11640-01ND
2017-08-02CA07681-03ND
2017-08-02CA07686-03ND
2017-08-03CA11893-01ND
2017-08-09CA10922-01ND
2017-08-16680-142527-39ND
2017-08-17CA07687-01ND
2017-09-13CA07683-01ND
2017-09-22CA14694-01ND
2017-09-27CA07660-01ND
2017-10-31CA14929-01ND
2017-12-20CA13199-01ND
2018-01-24CA18118-01 ND
2018-01-24CA18118-03 ND
2018-01-29CA18123-01 ND
2018-01-29CA18165-01 ND
2018-01-29CA18199-01 ND
2018-01-31CA18168-01 ND
2018-02-01CA18110-01 ND
2018-04-09CB03223-01 ND
2018-04-09CB03228-01 ND
2018-04-09CB03251-01 ND
2018-04-11CB03243-01 ND
2018-04-11CB03243-03 ND
2018-04-12CB03221-01 ND
2018-04-12CB03224-01 ND
2018-04-13CB03261-01 ND
2018-04-17CB03264-01 ND
2018-04-18CB03232-01 ND
2018-04-18CB03240-03 ND
2018-04-18CB03240-05 ND
2018-04-25CB06130-01 ND
2018-05-16CB03236-01 ND
2018-05-16CB03236-03 ND
2018-05-16CB07363-01 ND
2018-07-19CB08081-01 ND
2018-07-19CB08092-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08087-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08087-03 ND
2018-07-20CB08094-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08095-01 ND
2018-07-20CB08107-01 ND
2018-07-24CB08083-01 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-01 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-03 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-05 ND
2018-07-25CB08101-07 ND
2018-07-25CB08103-01RE1 ND
2018-07-26CB08106-01 ND
2018-08-10CB08085-01 ND
2018-09-17CB08108-01 ND
2018-09-18CB08088-01 ND
2018-09-25CB14506-01 ND
2018-10-08CB14297-01 ND
2018-10-11CB14305-01 ND
2018-10-25CB14502-01 ND
2019-01-14CB18602-01 ND
2019-01-14CB18602-05 ND
2019-01-23CB18607-01 ND
2019-02-06CB18678-01 ND
2019-02-15CB18645-01 ND
2019-02-21CB18641-01 ND
2019-02-21CB18660-01 ND
2019-03-18CC04646-01 ND
2019-04-15CC04003-01 ND
2019-04-15CC04003-03 ND
2019-04-15CC04003-05 ND
2019-04-15CC04041-01 ND
2019-04-17CC03997-01 ND
2019-04-17CC03997-03 ND
2019-04-17CC04014-01 ND
2019-04-24CC04048-01 ND
2019-04-25CC03993-01 ND
2019-04-25CC04005-01 ND
2019-04-25CC06332-01 ND
2019-05-07CC04028-01 ND
2019-05-07CC04044-01 ND
2019-05-14CC04033-01 ND
2019-05-15CC03995-01 ND
2019-05-15CC04064-01 ND
2019-07-24CC10475-01 ND
2019-07-24CC10500-01 ND
2019-07-25CC10489-01 ND
2019-07-26CC10510-01 ND
2019-08-16CC10486-01 ND
2019-08-16CC10486-03 ND
2019-08-28CC10495-01 ND
2019-09-16CC10480-01 ND
2019-09-17CC10482-01 ND
2019-09-18CC10484-01RE1 ND
2019-10-17CC15782-01 ND
2019-12-05CC10490-01 ND
2019-12-06CC16898-01 ND