Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Essex Fells Water Department

NOTE: Essex Fells Water Department purchases water from NJ American Water - Short Hills which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by NJ American Water - Short Hills.

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.

 

146

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND140ND
2020ND120ND
2021ND100ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

NOTE: Essex Fells Water Department purchases water from NJ American Water - Short Hills which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by NJ American Water - Short Hills.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-0238400601ND
2018-02-0638697901ND
2018-02-0638699801ND
2018-03-0538939801ND
2018-04-0439250601ND
2018-04-1339253801ND
2018-04-1839251701ND
2018-05-0139516301ND
2018-05-1139518601ND
2018-05-1139518701ND
2018-05-1139518801ND
2018-05-1139515401ND
2018-06-0439994301ND
2018-06-1440141001ND
2018-07-0240414001ND
2018-08-0140723901ND
2018-08-0940726301ND
2018-09-0541153101ND
2018-10-0841590601ND
2018-10-0941593301ND
2018-11-0542050301ND
2018-11-0842052601ND
2018-12-0342347701ND
2019-01-0242611201ND
2019-02-2143030201ND
2019-03-0643447401ND
2019-04-0243674301ND
2019-04-0243674401ND
2019-04-0443675801ND
2019-05-0744224501ND
2019-05-0944224701ND
2019-05-1544226601ND
2019-05-1744224601ND
2019-06-1344739301ND
2019-07-0145171501ND
2019-08-1545888801ND
2019-09-1246551901ND
2019-10-1046917701ND
2019-10-2446916601ND
2019-11-2147233201ND
2019-12-0945306901ND
2019-12-1247562801ND
2020-01-1648038801ND
2020-02-0548534401ND
2020-02-1348533101ND
2020-02-2648185501ND
2020-03-1148892101ND
2020-04-0349497701ND
2020-04-0649502501ND
2020-04-0949497601ND
2020-04-2049498901ND
2020-05-0449968201ND
2020-05-1149968401ND
2020-05-1449970001ND
2020-05-1849968301ND
2020-05-2649976601ND
2020-06-2250331301ND
2020-07-1350694501ND
2020-07-2849968101ND
2020-08-1251380501ND
2020-08-2551386401ND
2020-09-1551381501ND
2020-09-1651758001ND
2020-10-1252179601ND
2020-10-1952180701ND
2020-11-1652491101ND
2020-11-1952492201ND
2020-11-2452495901ND
2020-12-0952896301ND
2021-01-1153058901ND
2021-02-0953395801ND
2021-02-0953399001ND
2021-02-1153396301ND
2021-02-2253392801ND
2021-03-0853773201ND
2021-04-0154029401ND
2021-04-0654031101ND
2021-04-1554029301ND
2021-05-0554347201ND
2021-05-0654350701ND
2021-05-0754347101ND
2021-05-1154350301ND
2021-05-1154354001ND
2021-06-2154720501ND
2021-07-1955464401ND
2021-08-0655746001ND
2021-08-1655742801ND
2021-08-1955743201ND
2021-09-1656210401ND
2021-09-2053097101ND
2021-10-1156458501ND
2021-11-0456670801ND
2021-11-0856678101ND
2021-11-0856677001ND
2021-12-0757065001ND
2022-01-1357274901ND
2022-02-0857758201ND
2022-02-0957757601ND
2022-02-1757750201ND
2022-02-2357753501ND
2022-03-0757925101ND
2022-04-0658295001ND
2022-04-0858290401ND
2022-04-2558290301ND
2022-05-0658512101ND
2022-05-0958515201ND
2022-05-1258508401ND
2022-05-1358508501ND
2022-05-1358508601ND
2022-05-2558514601ND
2022-06-1559163601ND
2022-07-1259524701ND
2022-08-1059876301ND
2022-08-2259875701ND
2022-08-2359873201ND
2022-09-1455751501ND
2022-09-2160352701ND
2022-10-0360531101ND
2022-10-1360529301ND
2022-11-0960821501ND
2022-11-1660824601ND
2022-12-1561241601ND
2022-12-1660824001ND
2023-01-0461618901ND
2023-02-0861927801ND
2023-02-1361930901ND
2023-02-1661924501ND
2023-03-1562355401ND
2023-04-1062869301ND
2023-04-1762865101ND
2023-04-2462865001ND
2023-05-0863455301ND
2023-05-1163448601ND
2023-05-1263448501ND
2023-05-2363449501ND
2023-06-0763710701ND
2023-06-1463448701ND
2023-07-1766830301ND
2023-08-1067244401ND
2023-08-1167240401ND
2023-09-1367676701ND
2023-10-1168002401ND
2023-10-1268003001ND
2023-11-0868422401ND
2023-11-0968424701ND
2023-12-1468773301ND