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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

City of Kearney

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

100

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND170ND
2015ND170ND
2016ND160ND
2017ND170ND
2018ND170ND
2019ND160ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) 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 dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-13283337ND
2014-01-13283336ND
2014-01-13283334ND
2014-01-13283335ND
2014-01-21279171ND
2014-04-15295167ND
2014-04-15295170ND
2014-04-15295168ND
2014-04-15295169ND
2014-07-14312009ND
2014-07-14312006ND
2014-07-14312007ND
2014-07-14312008ND
2014-11-03332942ND
2014-11-03332941ND
2014-11-03332943ND
2014-11-03332944ND
2015-02-03346565ND
2015-02-03346564ND
2015-02-03346563ND
2015-02-03346562ND
2015-02-17345988ND
2015-05-04361744ND
2015-05-04361745ND
2015-05-04361746ND
2015-05-04361747ND
2015-08-03374564ND
2015-08-03374565ND
2015-08-03374562ND
2015-08-03374563ND
2015-11-02393726ND
2015-11-02393725ND
2015-11-02393724ND
2015-11-02393723ND
2016-02-01ND
2016-02-01ND
2016-02-01ND
2016-02-01ND
2016-05-02ND
2016-05-02ND
2016-05-02ND
2016-05-02ND
2016-08-01ND
2016-08-01ND
2016-08-01ND
2016-08-01ND
2016-11-08ND
2016-11-08ND
2016-11-08ND
2016-11-08ND
2017-01-23ND
2017-02-06ND
2017-02-06ND
2017-02-06ND
2017-02-06ND
2017-05-01ND
2017-05-01ND
2017-05-01ND
2017-05-01ND
2017-08-08ND
2017-08-08ND
2017-08-08ND
2017-08-08ND
2017-11-07ND
2017-11-07ND
2017-11-07ND
2017-11-07ND
2018-02-05534108ND
2018-02-05534107ND
2018-02-05534106ND
2018-02-05534105ND
2018-05-07549837ND
2018-05-07549834ND
2018-05-07549835ND
2018-05-07549836ND
2018-08-06567038ND
2018-08-06567037ND
2018-08-06567036ND
2018-08-06567035ND
2018-08-13560291ND
2018-11-05583390ND
2018-11-05583391ND
2018-11-05583392ND
2018-11-05583393ND
2019-02-04595256ND
2019-02-04595257ND
2019-02-04595258ND
2019-02-04595259ND
2019-05-06600588ND
2019-05-06600591ND
2019-05-06600590ND
2019-05-06600589ND
2019-08-05622473ND
2019-08-05622475ND
2019-08-05622474ND
2019-08-05622472ND
2019-11-04644397ND
2019-11-04644396ND
2019-11-04644395ND
2019-11-04644394ND