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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Mineola

Dry cleaning chemical tetrachloroethylene, or perc, can cause cancer. It pollutes soil and groundwater due to emissions from dry cleaning facilities, and automotive, metalworking and other industries. Read More.

The EPA considers tetrachloroethylene a likely human carcinogen. It has been linked with increased incidence of lung, breast and colon cancers. Tetrachloroethylene also damages the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.06 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 80 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 5 parts per billion.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

134

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

1

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.0325 ppb161ND - 0.520 ppb
2015ND220ND
2016ND240ND
2017ND240ND
2018ND240ND
2019ND240ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.06 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.06 ppb for tetrachloroethylene 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 tetrachloroethylene, established in 1991, 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 tetrachloroethylene exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-021401037-002-POCSND
2014-02-061402265-004-POCSND
2014-03-051403243-002-POCS0.520 ppb
2014-04-031404305-004-POCSND
2014-05-151405B51-002-POCSND
2014-06-041406275-004-POCSND
2014-07-101407715-003-POCSND
2014-08-121408757-002-POCSND
2014-09-041409329-002-POCSND
2014-09-171409D45-002-POCSND
2014-10-011410055-002-POCSND
2014-10-161410B47-002-POCSND
2014-11-051411244-002-POCSND
2014-11-191411D04-002-POCSND
2014-12-031412271-002-POCSND
2014-12-041412361-002-POCSND
2015-01-071501331-004-POCSND
2015-01-071501331-002-POCSND
2015-02-051502324-004-POCSND
2015-02-051502324-006-POCSND
2015-03-051503385-005 POCND
2015-03-051503385-003 POCND
2015-04-081504614-003-POCSND
2015-04-081504614-006-POCSND
2015-05-141505A54-002ND
2015-05-141505A54-004ND
2015-07-081507516-005-POCSND
2015-07-081507516-002-POCSND
2015-08-111508814-005-POCSND
2015-08-111508814-002-POCSND
2015-09-021509165-004-POCSND
2015-09-021509165-002-POCSND
2015-10-011510061-003-POCSND
2015-10-071510540-003-POCSND
2015-11-041511261-004-POCSND
2015-11-041511261-002-POCSND
2015-12-081512664-004-POCSND
2015-12-081512664-003-POCSND
2016-01-051601174-003-POCSND
2016-01-191601C33-003-POCSND
2016-02-021602199-005-POCSND
2016-02-021602199-003-POCSND
2016-03-0116103039-004-POCND
2016-03-011603039-006-POCSND
2016-04-051604436-005-POCSND
2016-04-051604436-003-POCSND
2016-05-171605F01-005-POCSND
2016-05-171605F01-003-POCSND
2016-06-071606621-005-POCSND
2016-06-071606621-003-POCSND
2016-07-121607926-002-POCSND
2016-07-121607926-005-POCSND
2016-08-021608187-004-POCSND
2016-08-021608187-002-POCSND
2016-09-061609281-002-POCSND
2016-09-061609281-004-POCSND
2016-10-04701134002-POCSND
2016-10-11701734003-POCSND
2016-11-01703417005-POCSND
2016-11-01703417002-POCSND
2016-12-06706114002-POCSND
2016-12-06706114004-POCSND
2017-01-03708133004-POCSND
2017-01-03708133002-POCSND
2017-02-037010547003-POCSND
2017-02-077010817002-POCSND
2017-03-027012796005ND
2017-03-077012796004-POCSND
2017-03-077012796002-POCSND
2017-03-077012796006ND
2017-04-037014734003-POCSND
2017-04-037014734004-POCSND
2017-05-027017476005-POCSND
2017-05-027017476003-POCSND
2017-06-067020532004ND
2017-06-067020532002ND
2017-07-077023427002ND
2017-07-077023427006ND
2017-09-127029664002ND
2017-09-187030182002-POCSND
2017-10-107032449002ND
2017-10-177033171002ND
2017-11-067034944004ND
2017-11-067034944002ND
2017-12-057037213004ND
2017-12-057037213002ND
2018-01-127040297003ND
2018-01-127040297007ND
2018-01-167040575002ND
2018-01-167040575004ND
2018-02-067042138003ND
2018-02-067042138004ND
2018-03-067044559002ND
2018-03-097044935003ND
2018-04-177048629004ND
2018-04-177048629002ND
2018-05-017050096002ND
2018-05-157051745002ND
2018-06-127054673002ND
2018-07-027056889002ND
2018-08-017060056002ND
2018-08-077060716003ND
2018-09-047063612002ND
2018-09-117064388002ND
2018-10-027066592002ND
2018-10-097067338002ND
2018-11-077070258002ND
2018-11-137070874002ND
2018-12-047072757002ND
2018-12-187074304002ND
2019-01-027075304002ND
2019-01-027075302002ND
2019-02-137079437002ND
2019-02-137079439002ND
2019-03-057081332002ND
2019-03-127082126002ND
2019-04-027084151001ND
2019-04-097085050002ND
2019-05-077088482004ND
2019-05-147089427002ND
2019-06-047091950002ND
2019-06-117093108002ND
2019-07-027096088001ND
2019-07-167097692002ND
2019-08-0670100102001ND
2019-08-1370101128001ND
2019-09-1070104421002ND
2019-09-1070104420001ND
2019-10-0170106843003ND
2019-10-0170106843001ND
2019-11-0670110909001ND
2019-11-1270111547001ND
2019-12-0370113863002ND
2019-12-0370113863004ND