Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Oyster Bay Water District

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

 

180

Samples

11

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

76

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20141.39 ppb3115ND - 5.60 ppb
20151.13 ppb166ND - 5.00 ppb
20161.47 ppb3112ND - 6.52 ppb
20171.46 ppb4018ND - 5.50 ppb
20181.18 ppb3615ND - 4.60 ppb
20191.000 ppb2610ND - 4.40 ppb

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
2014-01-211401843-001-POCS0.500 ppb
2014-02-111402492-001-POCS0.600 ppb
2014-03-051403199-001-POCS0.860 ppb
2014-03-181403C52-001-POCS5.60 ppb
2014-03-181403C52-004-POCS1.60 ppb
2014-03-1803C52-005-POCSND
2014-03-181403C52-003-POCSND
2014-03-181403C52-002-POCS5.40 ppb
2014-04-081404646-001-POCS0.670 ppb
2014-04-221404F72-004-POCSND
2014-04-221404F65-0011.50 ppb
2014-04-221404F72-001-POCSND
2014-04-221404F72-002-POCS5.40 ppb
2014-04-221404F72-003-POCS5.20 ppb
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-POCS5.10 ppb
2014-09-231409H36-005-POCS0.650 ppb
2014-09-231409H36-001-POCSND
2014-09-231409H36-002-POCS4.50 ppb
2014-10-301410J92-001-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-001-POCSND
2014-12-031412213-005-POCS0.860 ppb
2014-12-031412213-003-POCS4.80 ppb
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-POCS4.20 ppb
2015-03-041503213-002-POCS5.00 ppb
2015-03-041503213-004-POCSND
2015-03-041503213-005-POCS1.10 ppb
2015-03-091503478-001-POCSND
2015-04-011504003-001-POCSND
2015-05-181505C34-001-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-002-POCS3.73 ppb
2015-05-201505E59-001-POCS0.700 ppb
2015-05-201505E59-003-POCSND
2015-05-201505E59-004-POCS3.39 ppb
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
2016-03-301603O03-0041.54 ppb
2016-03-301603O03-005ND
2016-03-301603O03-0025.00 ppb
2016-03-301603O03-0014.71 ppb
2016-04-191604G74-001ND
2016-06-151606E92-004ND
2016-06-151606E92-0051.33 ppb
2016-06-151606E92-001ND
2016-06-151606E92-0035.53 ppb
2016-06-151606E92-0024.43 ppb
2016-06-241605L69-001ND
2016-07-191607E62-001ND
2016-08-241608N05-001ND
2016-09-131609895-001-POCND
2016-09-261609L71-003-POC6.52 ppb
2016-09-261609L71-004-POCND
2016-09-261609L71-005-POC0.640 ppb
2016-09-291609L71-001-POCND
2016-09-291609L71-002-POC5.02 ppb
2016-10-24702735006ND
2016-11-07703821001-POCND
2016-11-217050540035.50 ppb
2016-11-217050540050.740 ppb
2016-11-21705054001ND
2016-11-21705054004ND
2016-11-217050540024.70 ppb
2016-12-19707151001ND
2017-01-18709324001-POCND
2017-02-13701114001-POCND
2017-03-207013675001-POCND
2017-03-297014366003-POC4.40 ppb
2017-03-2970143660044.90 ppb
2017-03-297014366002-POC1.10 ppb
2017-03-297014366001-POCND
2017-03-297014366005-POCND
2017-04-177015995001ND
2017-06-207021777001-POCSND
2017-06-217021951004-POC5.50 ppb
2017-06-217021951006-POC3.70 ppb
2017-06-217021951010-POC0.780 ppb
2017-06-217021951008-POCND
2017-06-217021951002-POCND
2017-06-277022475005-POCSND
2017-06-277022475002-POCSND
2017-06-277022475001-POCS0.710 ppb
2017-06-277022475004-POCS3.70 ppb
2017-06-277022475003-POCS5.10 ppb
2017-07-252902844-POCSND
2017-08-227027829001-POCND
2017-09-197030333001-POCND
2017-09-277031121004-POCND
2017-09-277031121001-POCSND
2017-09-277031121005-POC0.600 ppb
2017-09-277031121003-POC4.90 ppb
2017-09-277031121002-POC4.80 ppb
2017-10-117032516001-POCND
2017-11-287036579001-POCND
2017-12-207038629001-POCND
2017-12-277039108003-POCND
2017-12-277039108002-POC4.40 ppb
2017-12-277039108004-POC0.890 ppb
2017-12-277039161003-POC0.710 ppb
2017-12-277039161005-POC3.70 ppb
2017-12-277039161001-POCND
2017-12-277039161004-POC3.70 ppb
2017-12-277039108001-POC4.70 ppb
2017-12-277039108005-POCND
2018-01-237041065001-POCND
2018-02-207043329001ND
2018-03-0570443970050.740 ppb
2018-03-057044397004-POCND
2018-03-057044397005-POC0.740 ppb
2018-03-057044397003-POC3.50 ppb
2018-03-0570443970023.10 ppb
2018-03-0570443970033.50 ppb
2018-03-057044397001ND
2018-03-057044397002-POC3.10 ppb
2018-03-057044397001-POCND
2018-03-057044397004ND
2018-03-127045041001ND
2018-04-167048487001ND
2018-05-227019203001-POCND
2018-06-187055214001ND
2018-06-197055367005-POC0.740 ppb
2018-06-197055367002-POC4.10 ppb
2018-06-197055367004-POCND
2018-06-197055367001-POCND
2018-06-197055367003-POC3.60 ppb
2018-07-107057586001-POCND
2018-09-047063482001ND
2018-09-1070641690024.50 ppb
2018-09-1070641690050.760 ppb
2018-09-107064169004ND
2018-09-1070641690034.40 ppb
2018-09-107064169001ND
2018-10-027066425001ND
2018-11-057069977001ND
2018-12-117073536001ND
2018-12-187074229001ND
2018-12-187074229004ND
2018-12-1870742290050.940 ppb
2018-12-1870742290024.00 ppb
2018-12-1870742290034.60 ppb
2019-01-157076659001ND
2019-02-257080524001ND
2019-03-057081264001ND
2019-03-0670815380033.10 ppb
2019-03-067081538004ND
2019-03-0670815380050.960 ppb
2019-03-067081538001ND
2019-03-0670815380023.00 ppb
2019-04-087084888001ND
2019-05-217090317001ND
2019-06-1770939150024.00 ppb
2019-06-177093915001ND
2019-06-1770939150034.00 ppb
2019-06-177093915004ND
2019-06-1770939150050.870 ppb
2019-06-187094101001ND
2019-07-167097674001ND
2019-08-2070101965001ND
2019-09-1770105249001ND
2019-09-18701053600034.30 ppb
2019-09-1870105360001ND
2019-09-1870105360004ND
2019-09-18701053600050.820 ppb
2019-09-18701053600024.40 ppb
2019-10-1570108433001ND
2019-11-14701114240010.540 ppb