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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Carbon tetrachloride

Roslyn WD

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

120

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND300ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND140ND
2017ND210ND
2018ND250ND
2019ND220ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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 carbon tetrachloride, established in 1987, 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 carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-081401261-002-POCSND
2014-02-111402494-002-POCSND
2014-03-271403J26-002-POCSND
2014-04-141404A24-002-POCSND
2014-05-081405607-002-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-002-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-003-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-005-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-004-POCSND
2014-06-051406390-002-POCSND
2014-06-121406931-002-POCSND
2014-06-171406B96-002-POCSND
2014-06-241406H35-002-POCSND
2014-07-081407453-002-POCSND
2014-07-211407E33-002-POCSND
2014-07-231407G36-002-POCSND
2014-07-301407L12-002-POCSND
2014-08-051408195-002-POCSND
2014-08-121408739-002-POCSND
2014-08-131408868-002-POCSND
2014-08-211408F37-002-POCSND
2014-08-251408H19-002-POCSND
2014-09-041409267-002-POCSND
2014-09-111409890-002-POCSND
2014-09-181409E16-001-POCSND
2014-10-091410647-002-POCSND
2014-10-221410E31-002-POCSND
2014-11-101411665-002-POCSND
2014-11-211411E96-002-POCSND
2014-12-051412410-002-POCSND
2015-01-151501871-002-POCSND
2015-02-101502633-001-POCSND
2015-04-161504C10-002-POCSND
2015-04-231504I52-001-POCSND
2015-04-231504I52-002-POCSND
2015-05-011505031-002-POCSND
2015-05-281505K32-002-POCSND
2015-06-091506722-002-POCSND
2016-01-131604L15-001ND
2016-02-111602918-002ND
2016-02-111602918-001ND
2016-05-031605147-001ND
2016-06-221606L82-001ND
2016-07-181607D67-002ND
2016-07-191607E94-002ND
2016-08-161608E60-002ND
2016-08-231608L92-002ND
2016-09-201609F92-001ND
2016-09-291609P72-001ND
2016-10-11701661001ND
2016-11-15704522005-POCND
2016-12-14706837002ND
2017-01-04708255003-POCND
2017-02-157011343003ND
2017-03-087012866003-POCSND
2017-04-067015144002ND
2017-04-197016340004-POCND
2017-04-197016340004ND
2017-05-107018231002ND
2017-05-127018516002-POCND
2017-06-067020424002-POCND
2017-07-207024744002-POCSND
2017-07-217024907002-POCND
2017-08-167027363002-POCND
2017-08-237027973002-POCND
2017-08-287028346002-POCND
2017-09-077029110002-POCND
2017-09-287031248001-POCND
2017-10-127032735002-POCND
2017-11-137035525002-POCND
2017-11-167035924002-POCND
2017-12-017036957002-POCND
2017-12-017036961002-POCND
2018-01-117040222002-POCND
2018-01-197040884002-POCND
2018-02-087042437002ND
2018-02-277043967002-POCND
2018-03-087044819001ND
2018-03-137045126002ND
2018-04-057047399001-POCND
2018-05-077050698002ND
2018-05-307053122001ND
2018-06-127054579002ND
2018-06-277056403002ND
2018-07-177058450002ND
2018-07-197058782002-POCND
2018-07-267059540002-POCND
2018-08-037060299002-POCND
2018-08-077060662002-POCND
2018-08-097060947002-POCND
2018-09-177065090001ND
2018-09-197065305001ND
2018-10-177068227002ND
2018-10-257069045002ND
2018-11-157071210002ND
2018-11-287072146002ND
2018-12-047072741002ND
2018-12-127073713001ND
2019-01-087075818002ND
2019-01-237077366001ND
2019-02-147079548002ND
2019-02-157079807002ND
2019-03-047081159002ND
2019-04-117085552002ND
2019-04-257087227002ND
2019-05-077088362002ND
2019-06-047092008002ND
2019-06-137093546002ND
2019-06-147093737003ND
2019-07-117097203001ND
2019-07-257098830002-POCND
2019-08-0670100015002-POCND
2019-08-1470101279002ND
2019-09-1070104226002ND
2019-09-1270104647001ND
2019-09-2470106023002ND
2019-10-0970107824002-POCND
2019-10-1670108611002ND
2019-11-1370111657002ND
2019-11-1470111831002ND