Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Bellaire Public Water System

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.

 

207

Samples

60

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

93

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20184.30 ppb2922ND - 20.9 ppb
20193.15 ppb3621ND - 17.3 ppb
20202.67 ppb3612ND - 9.13 ppb
20212.44 ppb3712ND - 11.2 ppb
20222.39 ppb3515ND - 9.10 ppb
20232.12 ppb3411ND - 8.71 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-01-01A1805401320.600 ppb
2018-04-0218040150ND
2018-04-021804015117.1 ppb
2018-04-02180401521.26 ppb
2018-05-0118050148ND
2018-05-01180501491.82 ppb
2018-05-011805015020.9 ppb
2018-06-0418060374ND
2018-06-04180603752.20 ppb
2018-06-041806037618.6 ppb
2018-07-0218070369ND
2018-07-02180703700.680 ppb
2018-07-02180703717.26 ppb
2018-08-06180811850.760 ppb
2018-08-06180811861.51 ppb
2018-08-0618081187ND
2018-08-06180811888.39 ppb
2018-09-03180916781.40 ppb
2018-09-03180916792.84 ppb
2018-09-03180916809.29 ppb
2018-10-04181016211.60 ppb
2018-10-0418101623ND
2018-10-041810162410.5 ppb
2018-11-05181115880.770 ppb
2018-11-0518111590ND
2018-11-05181115914.77 ppb
2018-12-03181216161.27 ppb
2018-12-03181216180.500 ppb
2018-12-031812161910.8 ppb
2019-01-01190109391.16 ppb
2019-01-01190109410.500 ppb
2019-01-01190109429.56 ppb
2019-02-0419021279ND
2019-02-04190212801.24 ppb
2019-02-04190212813.31 ppb
2019-04-0119041100ND
2019-04-01190411020.650 ppb
2019-04-01190411039.21 ppb
2019-05-06190409410.620 ppb
2019-05-0619050939ND
2019-05-061905094217.3 ppb
2019-06-0319061391ND
2019-06-03190613930.660 ppb
2019-06-03190613948.78 ppb
2019-07-0119071448ND
2019-07-0119071450ND
2019-07-01190714510.680 ppb
2019-07-22190734560.890 ppb
2019-07-2219073457ND
2019-08-0419081807ND
2019-08-04190818091.81 ppb
2019-08-041908181013.8 ppb
2019-09-0219091330ND
2019-09-0219091331ND
2019-09-02190913324.66 ppb
2019-09-0219091333ND
2019-10-03191010351.51 ppb
2019-10-031910103712.1 ppb
2019-10-0319101038ND
2019-11-0419110365ND
2019-11-041911036611.2 ppb
2019-11-0419110367ND
2019-12-0219120505ND
2019-12-02191205061.21 ppb
2019-12-021912050712.6 ppb
2020-01-0620010673ND
2020-01-0620010674ND
2020-01-06200106759.13 ppb
2020-02-0320020175ND
2020-02-0320020176ND
2020-02-03200201778.82 ppb
2020-03-0220030325ND
2020-03-0220030326ND
2020-03-02200303277.93 ppb
2020-04-0620040811ND
2020-04-0620040812ND
2020-04-06200408137.12 ppb
2020-05-0420050341ND
2020-05-0420050342ND
2020-05-04200503438.65 ppb
2020-06-0120060358ND
2020-06-0120060359ND
2020-06-01200603608.73 ppb
2020-07-0620070991ND
2020-07-0620070992ND
2020-07-06200709939.11 ppb
2020-08-0320080223ND
2020-08-0320080224ND
2020-08-03200802257.05 ppb
2020-09-0720091024ND
2020-09-0720091025ND
2020-09-07200910268.21 ppb
2020-10-0520100716ND
2020-10-0520100717ND
2020-10-05201007187.59 ppb
2020-11-0220110131ND
2020-11-0220110132ND
2020-11-02201101337.60 ppb
2020-12-0720121576ND
2020-12-0720121577ND
2020-12-07201215786.18 ppb
2021-01-0421010278ND
2021-01-0421010279ND
2021-01-04210102805.10 ppb
2021-02-0121020313ND
2021-02-0121020314ND
2021-02-01210203156.22 ppb
2021-03-0121030349ND
2021-03-0121030350ND
2021-03-01210303516.41 ppb
2021-04-0521040569ND
2021-04-0521040570ND
2021-04-05210405715.34 ppb
2021-05-0321050327ND
2021-05-0321050328ND
2021-05-03210503296.31 ppb
2021-06-0721061475ND
2021-06-0721061476ND
2021-06-072106147711.2 ppb
2021-07-0521070420ND
2021-07-0521070421ND
2021-07-05210704229.94 ppb
2021-08-0221080419ND
2021-08-0221080420ND
2021-08-02210804218.10 ppb
2021-09-0621090817ND
2021-09-0621090818ND
2021-09-06210908196.61 ppb
2021-10-0421100495ND
2021-10-0421100496ND
2021-10-04211004977.11 ppb
2021-10-0421100498ND
2021-11-0121110322ND
2021-11-0121110323ND
2021-11-01211103246.77 ppb
2021-12-0621121043ND
2021-12-0621121044ND
2021-12-062112104511.0 ppb
2022-01-0322010188ND
2022-01-0322010189ND
2022-01-0322010190ND
2022-02-1422021533ND
2022-02-14220215349.10 ppb
2022-03-0722031163ND
2022-03-07220311641.08 ppb
2022-03-07220311658.00 ppb
2022-04-0422040462ND
2022-04-04220404631.16 ppb
2022-04-04220404645.98 ppb
2022-05-0222050423ND
2022-05-0222050424ND
2022-05-02220504257.83 ppb
2022-06-06220610570.860 ppb
2022-06-0622061059ND
2022-06-06220610607.11 ppb
2022-07-0422070376ND
2022-07-04220703776.87 ppb
2022-07-0422070378ND
2022-08-01220804050.940 ppb
2022-08-01220804067.89 ppb
2022-08-0122080407ND
2022-09-0522090719ND
2022-09-0522090721ND
2022-09-05220907227.11 ppb
2022-10-0322100429ND
2022-10-0322100431ND
2022-10-03221004327.82 ppb
2022-11-0722111025ND
2022-11-0722111026ND
2022-11-07221110276.62 ppb
2022-12-0522123022ND
2022-12-0522123023ND
2022-12-05221230245.15 ppb
2023-02-0623020707ND
2023-02-0623020708ND
2023-02-06230207096.99 ppb
2023-03-0623031034ND
2023-03-0623031035ND
2023-03-06230310364.97 ppb
2023-03-0623031037ND
2023-04-0323040185ND
2023-04-0323040186ND
2023-04-03230401876.49 ppb
2023-05-0123050322ND
2023-05-0123050323ND
2023-05-01230503245.99 ppb
2023-06-0523060814ND
2023-06-0523060815ND
2023-06-05230608165.11 ppb
2023-07-1023071401ND
2023-07-1023071402ND
2023-07-10230714048.71 ppb
2023-08-1423082241ND
2023-08-1423082242ND
2023-08-14230822444.86 ppb
2023-09-0423090342ND
2023-09-0423090343ND
2023-09-04230903456.73 ppb
2023-10-0223100405ND
2023-10-0223100406ND
2023-10-02231004086.27 ppb
2023-11-0623110843ND
2023-11-0623110844ND
2023-11-06231108467.20 ppb
2023-12-0423120458ND
2023-12-0423120460ND
2023-12-04231204618.69 ppb