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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Trichloroethylene

Madison Water Department

Trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent and common groundwater pollutant, damages the immune system, harms the developing fetus and causes cancer. Read More.

Trichloroethylene was once commonly used to remove grease from metal parts, such as steel pipes and engines, and as a solvent in dry cleaning and carpet cleaning products. Drinking trichloroethylene-contaminated drinking water has been linked with birth defects, leukemia, and liver and kidney damage. Trichloroethylene is highly volatile and can enter indoor air through water in pipes. If trichloroethylene is present, people can inhale it while bathing, washing dishes and doing other household activities that involve water.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

230

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
2014ND560ND
2015ND560ND
2016ND380ND
2017ND240ND
2018ND320ND
2019ND240ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.4 ppb for trichloroethylene was defined by the state of Minnesota as health risk limit, the concentration of a contaminant that can be consumed with little or no risk to health. This health guideline protects against harm to the developing fetus and damage to the immune system.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb

The legal limit for trichloroethylene, established in 1987, 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 and harm to the developing fetus.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-07AB45690HZND
2014-01-07AB45691HZND
2014-01-07AB45693HZND
2014-01-07AB45694HZND
2014-01-14AB45945HZND
2014-01-14AB45947HZND
2014-02-04AB46807HZND
2014-02-04AB46809HZND
2014-02-27AB47794HZND
2014-02-27AB47796HZND
2014-03-03AB47851HZND
2014-03-03AB47853HZND
2014-03-18AB48564HZND
2014-03-18AB48566HZND
2014-04-02AB49157HZND
2014-04-02AB49158HZND
2014-04-02AB49160HZND
2014-04-02AB49161HZND
2014-04-15AB49749HZND
2014-04-15AB49751HZND
2014-05-07AB50518HZND
2014-05-07AB50520HZND
2014-05-13AB50756HZND
2014-05-13AB50758HZND
2014-06-03AB51634HZND
2014-06-03AB51636HZND
2014-06-10AB51896HZND
2014-06-10AB51898HZND
2014-07-01AB52820HZND
2014-07-01AB52821HZND
2014-07-01AB52823HZND
2014-07-01AB52824HZND
2014-07-08AB53081HZND
2014-07-08AB53083HZND
2014-08-06AB54290HZND
2014-08-06AB54292HZND
2014-08-12AB54552HZND
2014-08-12AB54554HZND
2014-09-03L5211814-2ND
2014-09-03L5211814-4ND
2014-09-09L5240310-2ND
2014-09-09L5240310-4ND
2014-10-06AB56812HZND
2014-10-06AB56813HZND
2014-10-06AB56815HZND
2014-10-06AB56816HZND
2014-10-14AB57112HZND
2014-10-14AB57114HZND
2014-11-12AB58266HZND
2014-11-12AB58268HZND
2014-11-19AB58677HZND
2014-11-19AB58679HZND
2014-12-02AB59050HZND
2014-12-02AB59052HZND
2014-12-09AB59345HZND
2014-12-09AB59347HZND
2015-01-13AB60578HZND
2015-01-13AB60582HZND
2015-01-13AB60580HZND
2015-01-13AB60581HZND
2015-01-19AB60782HZND
2015-01-19AB60784HZND
2015-02-10AB61655HZND
2015-02-10AB61657HZND
2015-02-17AB61920HZND
2015-02-17AB61922HZND
2015-03-04AB62619HZND
2015-03-04AB62621HZND
2015-03-10AB62868HZND
2015-03-10AB62870HZND
2015-04-14AB64266HZND
2015-04-14AB64270HZND
2015-04-14AB64269HZND
2015-04-14AB64267HZND
2015-04-21AB64553HZND
2015-04-21AB64555HZND
2015-05-12AB65438HZND
2015-05-12AB65440HZND
2015-05-19AB65726HZND
2015-05-19AB65728HZND
2015-06-09AB66692HZND
2015-06-09AB66694HZND
2015-06-11AB66865HZND
2015-06-11AB66867HZND
2015-07-14AB68295HZND
2015-07-14AB68299HZND
2015-07-14AB68298HZND
2015-07-14AB68296HZND
2015-07-21AB68634HZND
2015-07-21AB68636HZND
2015-08-12AB69756HZND
2015-08-12AB69758HZND
2015-08-18AB70011HZND
2015-08-18AB70013HZND
2015-09-08AB70868HZND
2015-09-08AB70870HZND
2015-09-15AB71196HZND
2015-09-15AB71198HZND
2015-10-13AB72344HZND
2015-10-13AB72347HZND
2015-10-13AB72346HZND
2015-10-20AB72618HZND
2015-10-20AB72620HZND
2015-11-10AB73564HZND
2015-11-10AB73566HZND
2015-11-18AB73925HZND
2015-11-18AB73927HZND
2015-12-08AB74624HZND
2015-12-08AB74626HZND
2015-12-16AB74998HZND
2015-12-16AB75000HZND
2015-12-16AB75001HZND
2016-01-12AB75879HZND
2016-01-12AB75882HZND
2016-01-12AB75881HZND
2016-01-12AB75883HZND
2016-01-19AB76145HZND
2016-01-19AB76147HZND
2016-02-09AB76984HZND
2016-02-09AB76986HZND
2016-02-24AB77585HZND
2016-02-24AB77587HZND
2016-03-08AB78056HZND
2016-03-08AB78058HZND
2016-03-15AB78389HZND
2016-03-15AB78387HZND
2016-04-12AB79653HZND
2016-04-12AB79657HZND
2016-04-12AB79656HZND
2016-04-12AB79654HZND
2016-05-10AB81000HZND
2016-05-10AB81002HZND
2016-06-14AB82519HZND
2016-06-14AB82521HZND
2016-07-12AB83733HZND
2016-07-12AB83737HZND
2016-07-12AB83736HZND
2016-07-12AB83734HZND
2016-08-09AB85026HZND
2016-08-09AB85028HZND
2016-09-12AB86391HZND
2016-09-12AB86393HZND
2016-10-11AB87758HZND
2016-10-11AB87753HZND
2016-10-11AB87755HZND
2016-10-11AB87756HZND
2016-11-22AB89695HZND
2016-11-22AB89697HZND
2016-12-13AB90416HZND
2016-12-20AB90672HZND
2017-01-10AB91444HZND
2017-01-10AB91446HZND
2017-01-10AB91445HZND
2017-02-14AB92805HZND
2017-03-13AB93936HZND
2017-04-10AB95033HZND
2017-04-10AB95035HZND
2017-04-10AB95032HZND
2017-05-09AB96253HZND
2017-06-20AB97872HZND
2017-06-20AB97874HZND
2017-07-11AB98680HZND
2017-07-11AB98682HZND
2017-07-11AB98684HZND
2017-07-11AB98681HZND
2017-08-08AB99870HZND
2017-08-08AB99872HZND
2017-09-12AC01261HZND
2017-09-12AC01263HZND
2017-11-14AC03873HZND
2017-11-14AC03875HZND
2017-11-14AC03871HZND
2017-12-12AC04936HZND
2017-12-12AC04938HZND
2018-01-09AC05960HZND
2018-01-09AC05962HZND
2018-01-09AC05964HZND
2018-01-09AC05961HZND
2018-02-13JC60783-2ND
2018-02-13JC60783-4ND
2018-03-15AC08545HZND
2018-03-15AC08547HZND
2018-04-10JC64164-1ND
2018-04-10JC64164-4ND
2018-04-10JC64164-3ND
2018-04-10JC64164-2ND
2018-05-08AC10579HZND
2018-05-08AC10581HZND
2018-06-22AC12531HZND
2018-06-22AC12533HZND
2018-07-10AC13175HZND
2018-07-10AC13177HZND
2018-07-10AC13179HZND
2018-07-10AC13176HZND
2018-08-14AC14790HZND
2018-08-14AC14792HZND
2018-09-17AC16240HZND
2018-09-27AC16828HZND
2018-10-04AC17168HZND
2018-10-04AC17171HZND
2018-10-04AC17167HZND
2018-10-04AC17170HZND
2018-11-08AC18564HZND
2018-11-08AC18566HZND
2018-12-06AC19711HZND
2018-12-06AC19713HZND
2019-01-10AC21028HZND
2019-01-10AC21030HZND
2019-01-10AC21031HZND
2019-02-07AC22348HZND
2019-03-07AC23576HZND
2019-03-07AC23578HZND
2019-04-04AC24827HZND
2019-05-08AC26187HZND
2019-05-08AC26189HZND
2019-06-06AC27593HZND
2019-06-06AC27596HZND
2019-06-06AC27595HZND
2019-07-11AC29195HZND
2019-07-11AC29197HZND
2019-08-08AC30477HZND
2019-08-08AC30479HZND
2019-09-09AC32081HZND
2019-09-09AC32083HZND
2019-10-03AC33344HZND
2019-10-03AC33346HZND
2019-11-07AC34877HZND
2019-11-07AC34879HZND
2019-12-05AC36028HZND
2019-12-05AC36030HZND