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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

North Penn Water Authority

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

310

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND510ND
2015ND470ND
2016ND600ND
2017ND590ND
2018ND480ND
2019ND450ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) 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 dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-01-2020140222ND
2014-01-2020140223ND
2014-01-2020140224ND
2014-01-2020140225ND
2014-02-1220140545ND
2014-02-1220140546ND
2014-02-1220140542ND
2014-02-1220140543ND
2014-02-1220140544ND
2014-02-1220140547ND
2014-03-0520140816ND
2014-03-0520140817ND
2014-03-0520140818ND
2014-03-0520140819ND
2014-03-0520140820ND
2014-04-0220141122ND
2014-04-0220141123ND
2014-04-0220141125ND
2014-04-0220141124ND
2014-05-1920141698ND
2014-05-1920141699ND
2014-05-1920141700ND
2014-05-1920141701ND
2014-06-0420141932ND
2014-06-0420141933ND
2014-06-0420141935ND
2014-06-0420141936ND
2014-06-0420141934ND
2014-07-1620142445ND
2014-07-1620142446ND
2014-07-1620142447ND
2014-08-1820142827ND
2014-08-1820142828ND
2014-08-1820142824ND
2014-08-1820142825ND
2014-08-1820142826ND
2014-08-1820142829ND
2014-09-0820143077ND
2014-09-0820143078ND
2014-09-0820143079ND
2014-09-0820143080ND
2014-09-0820143081ND
2014-11-1014110622-001ND
2014-11-1014110622-002ND
2014-11-1014110622-003ND
2014-11-1014110622-004ND
2014-12-0820144185ND
2014-12-0820144186ND
2014-12-0820144188ND
2014-12-0820144189ND
2014-12-0820144187ND
2015-01-1912287150ND
2015-01-1912287171ND
2015-01-1912287192ND
2015-01-1912287213ND
2015-02-0912402097ND
2015-02-0912402118ND
2015-02-0912402034ND
2015-02-0912402055ND
2015-02-0912402076ND
2015-02-0912402139ND
2015-04-2012633455ND
2015-04-2012633476ND
2015-04-2012633518ND
2015-04-2012633497ND
2015-06-1512882969ND
2015-07-1313013064ND
2015-07-1313013090ND
2015-07-1313013116ND
2015-07-1313013142ND
2015-07-1313013168ND
2015-08-1713135665ND
2015-08-1713135686ND
2015-08-1713135728ND
2015-08-1713135749ND
2015-08-1713135707ND
2015-08-1713135770ND
2015-09-1413264707ND
2015-09-1413264733ND
2015-09-1413264759ND
2015-10-0513389211ND
2015-10-0513389232ND
2015-10-0513389274ND
2015-10-0513389253ND
2015-11-1113514202ND
2015-11-1113514139ND
2015-11-1113514160ND
2015-11-1113514181ND
2015-11-1113514223ND
2015-12-0213633343ND
2015-12-0213633369ND
2015-12-0213633395ND
2015-12-0213633421ND
2015-12-0213633447ND
2015-12-0213633473ND
2015-12-0913633499ND
2015-12-0913633299ND
2015-12-1413633320ND
2016-01-1813753162ND
2016-01-1813753183ND
2016-01-1813753204ND
2016-01-1813753225ND
2016-02-1713870699ND
2016-02-1713870720ND
2016-02-1713870636ND
2016-02-1713870657ND
2016-02-1713870678ND
2016-02-1713870741ND
2016-03-0213986050ND
2016-03-0213986076ND
2016-03-0213986102ND
2016-03-0213986128ND
2016-03-0213986154ND
2016-04-1814102967ND
2016-04-1814102988ND
2016-04-1814103030ND
2016-04-1814103009ND
2016-05-1614250802ND
2016-05-1614250823ND
2016-05-1614250844ND
2016-05-1614250865ND
2016-06-0614405887ND
2016-06-0614405914ND
2016-06-0614405968ND
2016-06-0614405995ND
2016-06-0614405941ND
2016-07-1814569948ND
2016-07-1814569969ND
2016-07-1814569990ND
2016-07-1814570011ND
2016-08-0114735668ND
2016-08-0114735689ND
2016-08-0114735605ND
2016-08-0114735626ND
2016-08-0114735647ND
2016-08-0114735710ND
2016-08-2314907949ND
2016-09-0714908076ND
2016-09-0714908103ND
2016-09-0714908130ND
2016-09-0714908157ND
2016-09-0714908184ND
2016-10-2415075725ND
2016-10-2415075746ND
2016-10-2415075788ND
2016-10-2415075767ND
2016-11-1415226162ND
2016-11-1415226078ND
2016-11-1415226099ND
2016-11-1415226204ND
2016-11-1415226120ND
2016-11-1415226183ND
2016-11-1415226141ND
2016-12-0515372187ND
2016-12-0515372208ND
2016-12-0515372229ND
2016-12-0515372250ND
2016-12-0515372271ND
2017-01-2315517776ND
2017-01-2315517797ND
2017-01-2315517818ND
2017-01-2315517839ND
2017-02-2215655935ND
2017-02-2315656019ND
2017-02-2315656040ND
2017-02-2315655956ND
2017-02-2315655977ND
2017-02-2315655998ND
2017-02-2315656061ND
2017-03-2215796081ND
2017-03-2215796108ND
2017-03-2215796135ND
2017-03-2215796162ND
2017-03-2215796189ND
2017-04-1715937473ND
2017-04-1715937494ND
2017-04-1715937536ND
2017-04-1715937515ND
2017-05-1516094568ND
2017-05-1516094589ND
2017-05-1516094652ND
2017-05-1516094610ND
2017-05-1516094631ND
2017-07-0516413109ND
2017-07-0516413130ND
2017-07-0516413151ND
2017-07-1716413706ND
2017-07-1716413727ND
2017-07-1716413748ND
2017-07-1716413769ND
2017-08-0216566166ND
2017-08-0216566187ND
2017-08-0216566061ND
2017-08-0216566082ND
2017-08-0216566145ND
2017-08-0216566103ND
2017-08-0216566124ND
2017-09-1116726746ND
2017-09-1116726773ND
2017-09-1116726800ND
2017-09-1116726827ND
2017-09-1116726854ND
2017-10-1616880077ND
2017-10-1616880098ND
2017-10-1616880140ND
2017-10-1616880119ND
2017-11-0117023333ND
2017-11-0117023354ND
2017-11-0117023417ND
2017-11-0117023375ND
2017-11-0117023396ND
2017-12-0417161955ND
2017-12-0417161976ND
2017-12-0417162018ND
2017-12-0417162039ND
2017-12-0417161997ND
2017-12-0417162060ND
2018-01-2220180293ND
2018-01-2220180294ND
2018-01-2220180295ND
2018-01-2220180296ND
2018-02-0520180455ND
2018-02-0520180456ND
2018-02-0520180452ND
2018-02-0520180453ND
2018-02-0520180454ND
2018-02-0520180457ND
2018-03-2020181073ND
2018-03-2020181074ND
2018-03-2020181075ND
2018-03-2020181076ND
2018-04-1620181445ND
2018-04-1620181446ND
2018-04-1620181448ND
2018-04-1620181447ND
2018-05-0220181740ND
2018-05-0220181741ND
2018-05-0220181744ND
2018-05-0220181742ND
2018-05-0220181743ND
2018-06-1820182322ND
2018-06-1820182324ND
2018-06-1820182325ND
2018-06-1820182323ND
2018-06-1820182326ND
2018-06-1820182327ND
2018-07-1620182699ND
2018-07-1620182700ND
2018-07-1620182701ND
2018-08-0120182922ND
2018-08-0120182923ND
2018-08-0120182920ND
2018-08-0120182921ND
2018-08-0120182924ND
2018-09-0520183429ND
2018-09-0520183431ND
2018-09-0520183430ND
2018-09-0520183432ND
2018-10-1520183924ND
2018-10-1520183926ND
2018-10-1520183925ND
2018-12-038121626-01ND
2018-12-038121626-03ND
2018-12-038121626-02ND
2018-12-108122542-01ND
2019-01-2120190220ND
2019-02-0420190410ND
2019-02-0420190411ND
2019-02-0420190409ND
2019-02-0420190412ND
2019-02-0720190528ND
2019-03-0420190828ND
2019-03-0420190829ND
2019-03-0420190830ND
2019-04-1720191516ND
2019-04-1720191518ND
2019-04-1720191517ND
2019-05-0220191674ND
2019-05-0220191675ND
2019-05-0220191678ND
2019-05-0220191676ND
2019-05-0220191677ND
2019-07-1520192723ND
2019-07-1520192724ND
2019-07-1520192727ND
2019-07-1520192728ND
2019-07-1520192725ND
2019-07-1520192726ND
2019-08-0520192977ND
2019-08-0520192978ND
2019-08-0520192976ND
2019-08-0520192979ND
2019-09-0420193493ND
2019-09-0420193494ND
2019-09-0420193495ND
2019-09-0420193496ND
2019-10-2120194146ND
2019-10-2120194147ND
2019-10-2120194148ND
2019-11-0420194264ND
2019-11-0420194265ND
2019-11-0420194267ND
2019-11-0420194266ND
2019-11-0420194268ND
2019-11-0420194269ND
2019-12-0220194693ND
2019-12-0220194694ND
2019-12-0220194696ND
2019-12-0220194697ND
2019-12-0220194695ND