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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Oyster Bay Water District

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

 

180

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND310ND
2015ND160ND
2016ND310ND
2017ND400ND
2018ND360ND
2019ND260ND

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
2014-01-211401843-001-POCSND
2014-02-111402492-001-POCSND
2014-03-051403199-001-POCSND
2014-03-181403C52-001-POCSND
2014-03-181403C52-004-POCSND
2014-03-1803C52-005-POCSND
2014-03-181403C52-003-POCSND
2014-03-181403C52-002-POCSND
2014-04-081404646-001-POCSND
2014-04-221404F72-004-POCSND
2014-04-221404F65-001ND
2014-04-221404F72-001-POCSND
2014-04-221404F72-002-POCSND
2014-04-221404F72-003-POCSND
2014-05-271405J26-001-POCSND
2014-06-171406B90-001-POCSND
2014-07-231407G76-001-POCSND
2014-08-181408B68-007-POCSND
2014-09-101409716-001-POCSND
2014-09-231409H36-004-POCSND
2014-09-231409H36-003-POCSND
2014-09-231409H36-005-POCSND
2014-09-231409H36-001-POCSND
2014-09-231409H36-002-POCSND
2014-10-301410J92-001-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-001-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-005-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-003-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-002-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-004-POCSND
2014-12-161412B34-001-POCSND
2015-01-201501A62-001-POCSND
2015-02-111502655-001-POCSND
2015-03-041503213-001-POCSND
2015-03-041503213-003-POCSND
2015-03-041503213-002-POCSND
2015-03-041503213-004-POCSND
2015-03-041503213-005-POCSND
2015-03-091503478-001-POCSND
2015-04-011504003-001-POCSND
2015-05-181505C34-001-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-002-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-001-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-003-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-004-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-005-POCSND
2015-06-031506225-001-POCSND
2016-01-271601H95-001ND
2016-02-241502E28-001ND
2016-03-151603B65-001ND
2016-03-301603O03-003ND
2016-03-301603O03-005ND
2016-03-301603O03-004ND
2016-03-301603O03-002ND
2016-03-301603O03-001ND
2016-04-191604G74-001ND
2016-06-151606E92-004ND
2016-06-151606E92-003ND
2016-06-151606E92-005ND
2016-06-151606E92-002ND
2016-06-151606E92-001ND
2016-06-241605L69-001ND
2016-07-191607E62-001ND
2016-08-241608N05-001ND
2016-09-131609895-001-POCND
2016-09-261609L71-003-POCND
2016-09-261609L71-004-POCND
2016-09-261609L71-005-POCND
2016-09-291609L71-001-POCND
2016-09-291609L71-002-POCND
2016-10-24702735006ND
2016-11-07703821001-POCND
2016-11-21705054005ND
2016-11-21705054001ND
2016-11-21705054002ND
2016-11-21705054004ND
2016-11-21705054003ND
2016-12-19707151001ND
2017-01-18709324001-POCND
2017-02-13701114001-POCND
2017-03-207013675001-POCND
2017-03-297014366001-POCND
2017-03-297014366004ND
2017-03-297014366003-POCND
2017-03-297014366002-POCND
2017-03-297014366005-POCND
2017-04-177015995001ND
2017-06-207021777001-POCSND
2017-06-217021951010-POCND
2017-06-217021951006-POCND
2017-06-217021951002-POCND
2017-06-217021951008-POCND
2017-06-217021951004-POCND
2017-06-277022475005-POCSND
2017-06-277022475002-POCSND
2017-06-277022475001-POCSND
2017-06-277022475004-POCSND
2017-06-277022475003-POCSND
2017-07-252902844-POCSND
2017-08-227027829001-POCND
2017-09-197030333001-POCND
2017-09-277031121002-POCND
2017-09-277031121003-POCND
2017-09-277031121005-POCND
2017-09-277031121001-POCSND
2017-09-277031121004-POCND
2017-10-117032516001-POCND
2017-11-287036579001-POCND
2017-12-207038629001-POCND
2017-12-277039161001-POCND
2017-12-277039161005-POCND
2017-12-277039108001-POCND
2017-12-277039161003-POCND
2017-12-277039108004-POCND
2017-12-277039161004-POCND
2017-12-277039108002-POCND
2017-12-277039108003-POCND
2017-12-277039108005-POCND
2018-01-237041065001-POCND
2018-02-207043329001ND
2018-03-057044397004ND
2018-03-057044397003-POCND
2018-03-057044397003ND
2018-03-057044397002ND
2018-03-057044397002-POCND
2018-03-057044397001ND
2018-03-057044397005-POCND
2018-03-057044397005ND
2018-03-057044397001-POCND
2018-03-057044397004-POCND
2018-03-127045041001ND
2018-04-167048487001ND
2018-05-227019203001-POCND
2018-06-187055214001ND
2018-06-197055367002-POCND
2018-06-197055367001-POCND
2018-06-197055367004-POCND
2018-06-197055367005-POCND
2018-06-197055367003-POCND
2018-07-107057586001-POCND
2018-09-047063482001ND
2018-09-107064169005ND
2018-09-107064169001ND
2018-09-107064169004ND
2018-09-107064169002ND
2018-09-107064169003ND
2018-10-027066425001ND
2018-11-057069977001ND
2018-12-117073536001ND
2018-12-187074229005ND
2018-12-187074229002ND
2018-12-187074229003ND
2018-12-187074229001ND
2018-12-187074229004ND
2019-01-157076659001ND
2019-02-257080524001ND
2019-03-057081264001ND
2019-03-067081538002ND
2019-03-067081538005ND
2019-03-067081538004ND
2019-03-067081538003ND
2019-03-067081538001ND
2019-04-087084888001ND
2019-05-217090317001ND
2019-06-177093915003ND
2019-06-177093915001ND
2019-06-177093915005ND
2019-06-177093915002ND
2019-06-177093915004ND
2019-06-187094101001ND
2019-07-167097674001ND
2019-08-2070101965001ND
2019-09-1770105249001ND
2019-09-1870105360005ND
2019-09-1870105360002ND
2019-09-1870105360003ND
2019-09-1870105360004ND
2019-09-1870105360001ND
2019-10-1570108433001ND
2019-11-1470111424001ND