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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Carbon tetrachloride

Pennsville Twsp. Water Depart.

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

70

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND130ND
2015ND120ND
2016ND100ND
2017ND140ND
2018ND110ND
2019ND100ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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 carbon tetrachloride, 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 due to carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-02L4861424-15ND
2014-02-05L4900147-2ND
2014-02-05L4900147-1ND
2014-02-05L4900147-3ND
2014-04-01L4974775-13ND
2014-04-01L4974775-12ND
2014-04-01L4974775-11ND
2014-07-15L3628988-2ND
2014-07-15L3628988-3ND
2014-07-15L3628988-1ND
2014-10-08L4900148-2ND
2014-10-08L4900148-3ND
2014-10-08L4900148-1ND
2015-01-28L5364497-4ND
2015-01-28L5364497-5ND
2015-01-28L5364497-3ND
2015-04-01L5101676-2ND
2015-04-01L5101676-3ND
2015-04-01L5101676-1ND
2015-07-22L5706276-4ND
2015-07-22L5706276-6ND
2015-07-22L5706276-5ND
2015-12-08L5914278-6ND
2015-12-08L5914278-7ND
2015-12-08L5914278-8ND
2016-05-03L6236822-1ND
2016-05-03L6236822-3ND
2016-05-03L6236822-2ND
2016-07-12L6374916-3ND
2016-07-12L6374916-1ND
2016-07-12L6374916-2ND
2016-11-09L6547396-2ND
2016-11-09L6547396-1ND
2016-11-17L6555171-2ND
2016-11-17L6555171-1ND
2017-02-012205715001ND
2017-02-012205714001ND
2017-02-012205716001ND
2017-06-272242478003ND
2017-06-272242478002ND
2017-06-272242478001ND
2017-08-022251187001ND
2017-08-022251184001ND
2017-08-022251186001ND
2017-08-232257731001ND
2017-08-232257730001ND
2017-08-232257733001ND
2017-11-142277312001ND
2017-12-292286806001ND
2018-01-162289569001ND
2018-01-162289568001ND
2018-01-232291073001ND
2018-04-037048419001-VOCND
2018-04-037048416001-VOCND
2018-07-177058947001-VOCND
2018-07-177058948001-VOCND
2018-07-177058949001-VOCND
2018-10-107067734001-VOCND
2018-10-107067733001-VOCND
2018-11-277073209001-VOCND
2019-02-127079703001-VOCND
2019-02-137079702001-VOCND
2019-04-207087331001-VOCND
2019-04-237087332001-VOCND
2019-04-247087330001-VOCND
2019-07-247099033001-VOCND
2019-07-247099032001-VOCND
2019-11-0570111263001-VOCND
2019-11-0670111268001-VOCND
2019-11-0670111262001-VOCND