Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Ruth Water District

NOTE: Ruth Water District purchases water from Ely Municipal Water Department which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by Ely Municipal Water Department.

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.

 

13

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND60ND
2023N/A00N/A

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: Ruth Water District purchases water from Ely Municipal Water Department which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by Ely Municipal Water Department.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-11-0818110223-007ND
2019-11-1419110404-002ND
2019-11-1419110404-003ND
2019-11-1419110404-005ND
2019-11-2119110631-001ND
2020-12-22202012290116ND
2021-12-09202112150655ND
2022-01-13202201200473ND
2022-05-1222050451-001ND
2022-05-1222050451-002ND
2022-07-0722070169-002ND
2022-07-0722070169-003ND
2022-07-0722070169-004ND