Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Ringwood Water Department

NOTE: Ringwood Water Department purchases water from Passaic Valley Water Commission which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by Passaic Valley Water Commission.

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.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND10ND

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: Ringwood Water Department purchases water from Passaic Valley Water Commission which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by Passaic Valley Water Commission.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-03AC05714HZND
2018-04-03JC64162-1ND
2018-07-11AC13282HZND
2018-10-03AC17084HZND
2019-01-02AC20580HZND
2019-04-10AC25044HZND
2019-07-03AC28785HZND
2019-10-02AC33219HZND
2020-01-08AC37301HZND
2020-04-01AC40801HZND
2020-07-01AC44467HZND
2020-10-07AC48494HZND
2021-01-06AC51904HZND
2021-04-07AC55371HZND
2021-07-07AC59006HZND
2021-10-06AC63608HZND
2022-01-05AC67073HZND
2022-04-06AC70562HZND
2022-07-06AC74369HZND
2022-10-06AC78224HZND
2023-01-04AC82218HZND
2023-04-0523D0288-01ND
2023-07-05AC89750HZND
2023-10-04AC93846HZND