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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Epcor Water New Mexico Inc Clovis

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

 

50

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
2014ND130ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND100ND
2017ND120ND
2018ND30ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-05-121405632-001AND
2014-05-121405645-001AND
2014-05-121405625-001AND
2014-05-121405622-001AND
2014-05-121405628-001AND
2014-06-171406949-001AND
2014-06-171406948-001AND
2014-06-171406945-001AND
2014-06-171406947-001AND
2014-09-021409179-001AND
2014-09-021409175-001AND
2014-09-171409989-001AND
2014-10-071410A36-001AND
2015-03-231503B78-001AND
2015-03-231503B77-001AND
2015-03-231503B45-001AND
2015-06-151506870-001AND
2015-09-211509A49-001AND
2015-11-101511483-001AND
2015-11-101511478-001AND
2015-11-101511482-001AND
2016-03-211603C17-001AND
2016-03-211603C12-001AND
2016-03-211603C16-001AND
2016-03-211603C19-001AND
2016-05-091605537-001AND
2016-07-261608393-001AND
2016-07-261608368-001AND
2016-07-261608397-001AND
2016-07-261608367-001AND
2016-10-181610A17-001ND
2017-03-132017007273ND
2017-03-132017007272ND
2017-04-262017012834ND
2017-06-062017016937ND
2017-06-062017016939ND
2017-06-062017016938ND
2017-07-242017021807ND
2017-07-242017021806ND
2017-07-242017021805ND
2017-10-172017030168ND
2017-10-172017030169ND
2017-10-172017030165ND
2018-02-062018004059ND
2018-07-172018019759ND
2018-07-172018019760ND
2019-04-021904125-001ND
2019-06-032019015187ND
2019-07-152019019642ND
2019-07-152019019643ND