Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Richardson County Rural Water District 2

NOTE: Richardson County Rural Water District 2 purchases water from Falls City, City of which is required to test for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). Sample information shown below was taken by Falls City, City of.

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.

 

14

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND80ND

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

NOTE: Richardson County Rural Water District 2 purchases water from Falls City, City of which is required to test for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). Sample information shown below was taken by Falls City, City of.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-08-14567278ND
2018-08-14567277ND
2019-08-12628467ND
2019-08-12628466ND
2020-05-12667088ND
2020-08-10689941ND
2020-08-10689940ND
2021-08-09753825ND
2021-08-09753824ND
2022-08-09816220ND
2022-08-09816219ND
2023-06-12856281ND
2023-08-01880284ND
2023-08-01880285ND