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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

NJ American Water - Western

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

 

84

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND230ND
2015ND120ND
2016ND110ND
2017ND230ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND60ND

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
2014-01-0824568901ND
2014-01-1024572101ND
2014-01-1024568501ND
2014-04-0425401901ND
2014-04-0425405401ND
2014-05-0925402501ND
2014-06-1225801901ND
2014-06-1225399301ND
2014-06-1225400301ND
2014-06-1225400501ND
2014-06-1225403201ND
2014-06-1325795901ND
2014-07-1126204001ND
2014-07-22201407310131ND
2014-07-2925402701ND
2014-07-2925403401ND
2014-07-2925801501ND
2014-08-0826701601ND
2014-08-0826700601ND
2014-09-0526862701ND
2014-10-0327234801ND
2014-10-0327232601ND
2014-10-1027232701ND
2015-01-0927865201ND
2015-01-2927865701ND
2015-04-0228547801ND
2015-04-0228548101ND
2015-06-0329613601ND
2015-06-0929359201ND
2015-07-1029728901ND
2015-07-1029731701ND
2015-07-2729729401ND
2015-10-0230511201ND
2015-10-0230514101ND
2015-10-0930511801ND
2016-01-0831139601ND
2016-01-1931135501ND
2016-01-2031137401ND
2016-04-0131818301ND
2016-04-0131821101ND
2016-07-0832851501ND
2016-07-0832853101ND
2016-08-0833098201ND
2016-10-0733558001ND
2016-10-1733557501ND
2016-12-2233560001ND
2017-01-0534460101ND
2017-01-0634461801ND
2017-01-0634462501ND
2017-04-1335356101ND
2017-04-1335354501ND
2017-04-1335355301ND
2017-04-1335355101ND
2017-06-2335986501ND
2017-06-2635349301ND
2017-07-0335352801ND
2017-07-0335991201ND
2017-07-0335991401ND
2017-07-0335990301ND
2017-07-1736533701ND
2017-07-1736803301ND
2017-07-1736533501ND
2017-07-2136533301ND
2017-07-2136532901ND
2017-07-2535353001ND
2017-08-3037194201ND
2017-08-3037194801ND
2017-10-1337519501ND
2017-10-2037520101ND
2018-01-3038457801ND
2018-03-0238460101ND
2018-03-1239249001ND
2018-04-1738070101ND
2018-04-3039285601ND
2018-07-0640460801ND
2018-07-0640458701ND
2018-10-1241622001ND
2018-10-1941624001ND
2019-01-0742646601ND
2019-01-3042649801ND
2019-04-1243709301ND
2019-07-0345209201ND
2019-10-2846945101ND
2019-12-0547756801ND