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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Washington Township MUA

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

 

83

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND140ND
2015ND90ND
2016ND90ND
2017ND190ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND240ND

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
2014-03-12140312/2198-01ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-06ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-07ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-05ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-08ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-04ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-03ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-02ND
2014-03-1214033141-001ND
2014-03-12140312/2198-09ND
2014-06-2714070193-001ND
2014-09-2614092461-001ND
2014-12-10141210/2659-07ND
2014-12-10141210/2659-06ND
2015-02-10150210/2763-02ND
2015-02-10150210/2763-01ND
2015-03-18150318/2893-11ND
2015-05-12150512/2924-2ND
2015-06-30150630/3020-1ND
2015-09-17150917/3158-4ND
2015-09-17150917/3158-2ND
2015-12-21151221/3322-2ND
2015-12-22151222/3324-1ND
2016-03-16160316/3527-7ND
2016-03-16160316/3527-11ND
2016-03-16160316/3527-8ND
2016-06-15160615/3672-2ND
2016-06-16160616/3675-2ND
2016-09-21160921/3872-7ND
2016-09-21160921/3872-9ND
2016-12-07161207/3990-6ND
2016-12-07161207/3990-9ND
2017-03-21170321/4116-2VOND
2017-03-21170321/4116-3VOND
2017-03-21170321/4116-8ND
2017-03-21170321/4116-1VOND
2017-03-21170321/4116-8VOND
2017-03-21170321/4116-8VND
2017-03-21170321/4116-6VOND
2017-03-21170321/4116-10ND
2017-03-21170321/4116-4VOND
2017-03-21170321/4116-6ND
2017-06-1336441002ND
2017-06-1336441003ND
2017-06-1336441001ND
2017-06-2736672602ND
2017-09-1937548301ND
2017-09-1937548302ND
2017-09-2037548303ND
2017-12-1338513002ND
2017-12-1338513001ND
2018-03-1939421702ND
2018-03-1939402901ND
2018-03-1939421701ND
2018-06-2040497901ND
2018-06-2140498501ND
2018-09-1341716902ND
2018-12-05P18-8760-04ND
2018-12-05P18-8760-06ND
2019-03-12P19-1447-06ND
2019-03-12P19-1449-06ND
2019-03-13P19-1471-06ND
2019-03-13P19-1474-06ND
2019-03-13P19-1475-06ND
2019-06-13P19-4727-07ND
2019-06-13P19-4727-01ND
2019-06-13P19-4727-02ND
2019-06-13P19-4727-03ND
2019-06-13P19-4727-04ND
2019-06-13P19-4727-05ND
2019-09-11P19-9101-02ND
2019-09-11P19-9101-01ND
2019-09-16P19-9305-03ND
2019-09-16P19-9305-02ND
2019-09-16P19-9305-05ND
2019-09-16P19-9305-04ND
2019-09-17P19-9305-01ND
2019-12-09P19-11473-05ND
2019-12-09P19-11473-04ND
2019-12-09P19-11473-02ND
2019-12-09P19-11473-01ND
2019-12-09P19-11473-07ND
2019-12-11P19-11473-03ND