Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Horsham Water&sewer 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

 

106

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

8

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.361 ppb232ND - 5.00 ppb
20150.600 ppb244ND - 4.80 ppb
20160.150 ppb221ND - 3.30 ppb
20170.200 ppb161ND - 3.20 ppb
2018ND80ND
2019ND130ND

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
2014-01-09AE199485.00 ppb
2014-01-09AE19956ND
2014-01-09AE19959ND
2014-01-24AE21287ND
2014-02-19AE24091ND
2014-02-19AE24093ND
2014-02-19AE24094ND
2014-02-19AE24099ND
2014-02-19AE24100ND
2014-02-20AE24092ND
2014-04-16AE29642ND
2014-04-16AE29643ND
2014-04-16AE29635ND
2014-04-16AE29638ND
2014-04-16AE29639ND
2014-07-23AE41288ND
2014-07-23AE41289ND
2014-08-13AE43999ND
2014-08-13AE440013.30 ppb
2014-08-13AE44009ND
2014-10-08AE51808ND
2014-10-09AE51797ND
2014-10-09AE51805ND
2015-01-1612286585ND
2015-01-1612286592ND
2015-01-1612286611ND
2015-03-0412514942ND
2015-03-0412514963ND
2015-03-04125149844.80 ppb
2015-03-0412515005ND
2015-03-0412515026ND
2015-03-0412515047ND
2015-03-0412515068ND
2015-03-0412515089ND
2015-03-0412515110ND
2015-04-1612632994ND
2015-04-1612633036ND
2015-04-1612633057ND
2015-04-23126330153.10 ppb
2015-07-15130121463.40 ppb
2015-07-1513012188ND
2015-07-1713012125ND
2015-07-1713012167ND
2015-10-1313388719ND
2015-10-1413388656ND
2015-10-14133886773.10 ppb
2015-10-1413388698ND
2016-01-1213752681ND
2016-01-12137527023.30 ppb
2016-01-1213752723ND
2016-02-1613869803ND
2016-03-1613985447ND
2016-03-1613985468ND
2016-03-1613985504ND
2016-03-1613985531ND
2016-03-1613985552ND
2016-03-1613985573ND
2016-03-1713985426ND
2016-03-1713985489ND
2016-04-2614102750ND
2016-05-1714250264ND
2016-05-1714250285ND
2016-05-1714250306ND
2016-07-1914569342ND
2016-07-1914569363ND
2016-07-1914569384ND
2016-10-2615075524ND
2016-10-2615075545ND
2016-10-2615075566ND
2017-01-05155171273.20 ppb
2017-01-0515517085ND
2017-01-2515517106ND
2017-02-1415655274ND
2017-02-1415655295ND
2017-02-1415655316ND
2017-02-1415655253ND
2017-03-3015795475ND
2017-04-0515936824ND
2017-04-0515936845ND
2017-04-0515936866ND
2017-04-1815936803ND
2017-08-0916565751ND
2017-08-1616565709ND
2017-08-1616565730ND
2017-10-1016880020ND
2018-01-30AF74814ND
2018-01-30AF74813ND
2018-02-13AF75932ND
2018-03-23AF79016ND
2018-06-22AF86999ND
2018-08-30AF94269ND
2018-10-03AF96985ND
2018-12-27AG04620ND
2019-02-11AG07771ND
2019-02-11AG07772ND
2019-02-11AG07773ND
2019-02-11AG07775ND
2019-02-27AG09179ND
2019-04-11AG13046ND
2019-04-11AG13047ND
2019-05-09AG16016ND
2019-05-09AG16019ND
2019-05-23AG16891ND
2019-08-21AG28299ND
2019-09-18AG31924ND
2019-09-18AG31925ND