Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

United Water Rahway

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

 

73

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

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

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
2014-01-064010154-04ND
2014-02-044020071-04ND
2014-03-044030106-04ND
2014-04-014040063-04ND
2014-05-064050210-04ND
2014-06-024060019-04ND
2014-07-024070083-04ND
2014-08-054080206-04ND
2014-09-024090068-04ND
2014-10-014100029-04ND
2014-11-044110128-04ND
2014-12-034120192-04ND
2015-01-082048865001ND
2015-02-042053608001ND
2015-03-032057625001ND
2015-04-072064326001ND
2015-05-072069816004ND
2015-06-092076067004ND
2015-07-062081457001ND
2015-08-102088901001ND
2015-09-082094547001ND
2015-10-062100355001ND
2015-11-092108071001ND
2015-12-022111153001ND
2016-01-112117774001ND
2016-02-082123461001ND
2016-03-082129590001ND
2016-04-042134709001ND
2016-05-092142323001ND
2016-06-032148847001ND
2016-07-252162441001ND
2016-08-082166270001ND
2016-09-062172944001ND
2016-10-112181833001ND
2016-11-072188181001ND
2016-12-092195131001ND
2017-01-067010175-04ND
2017-02-067020251-04ND
2017-03-097030313-04ND
2017-04-137040482-04ND
2017-05-037050241-04ND
2017-06-057060265-04ND
2017-07-067070145-04ND
2017-08-077080364-04ND
2017-09-057090127-04ND
2017-10-047100200-04ND
2017-11-177110665-04ND
2017-12-157120650-04ND
2018-01-098010322-04ND
2018-02-078020295-04ND
2018-03-068030252-03ND
2018-04-048040228-02ND
2018-05-018050127-03ND
2018-06-048060087-03ND
2018-07-028070223-03ND
2018-08-088080371-03ND
2018-09-058090147-03ND
2018-10-118100595-03ND
2018-11-148110569-03ND
2018-12-068120203-03ND
2019-01-049010110-03ND
2019-02-069020279-03ND
2019-03-089030319-03ND
2019-04-129040655-01ND
2019-05-149050675-02ND
2019-06-129060448-02ND
2019-06-279061126-01ND
2019-07-039070204-02ND
2019-08-099080462-02ND
2019-09-099090315-02ND
2019-10-079100313-02ND
2019-11-159110694-02ND
2019-12-129120552-02ND