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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Warminster Municipal Authority

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

 

54

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

4

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND180ND
20150.136 ppb132ND - 0.970 ppb
20160.0864 ppb142ND - 0.640 ppb
2017ND10ND
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-01-071066362002ND
2014-01-071066362001ND
2014-01-071066362017ND
2014-01-071066362016ND
2014-01-071066362015ND
2014-01-071066362014ND
2014-01-071066362013ND
2014-01-071066362012ND
2014-01-071066362011ND
2014-01-071066362010ND
2014-01-071066362009ND
2014-01-071066362007ND
2014-01-071066362006ND
2014-01-071066362005ND
2014-01-071066362004ND
2014-01-071066362003ND
2014-01-171068194001ND
2014-01-271069260001ND
2015-01-0512160917ND
2015-01-0812273830ND
2015-01-0812273809ND
2015-01-0812273683ND
2015-01-0812273788ND
2015-01-0812273767ND
2015-01-0812273746ND
2015-01-0812273704ND
2015-01-0812273662ND
2015-01-08122736410.800 ppb
2015-01-0812273620ND
2015-01-08122735990.970 ppb
2015-01-0812273725ND
2016-01-1113740438ND
2016-01-1113740522ND
2016-01-1113740501ND
2016-01-1113740396ND
2016-01-1113740480ND
2016-01-11137405430.640 ppb
2016-01-1113740459ND
2016-01-1113740417ND
2016-01-1113740375ND
2016-01-1113740354ND
2016-01-1113740333ND
2016-01-1113740312ND
2016-01-11137402910.570 ppb
2016-03-0313857828ND
2017-03-2916865870ND
2018-01-032286581002ND
2018-05-028012263-03ND
2018-05-028012263-01ND
2018-05-028012263-02ND
2019-03-293025252001ND
2019-03-293025252003ND
2019-03-293025252005ND
2019-09-043056055001ND