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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Carbon tetrachloride

North Penn Water Authority

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

 

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 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
2014-01-2020140222ND
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
2015-01-1912287158ND
2015-01-1912287179ND
2015-01-1912287200ND
2015-01-1912287221ND
2015-02-0912402105ND
2015-02-0912402126ND
2015-02-0912402042ND
2015-02-0912402063ND
2015-02-0912402084ND
2015-02-0912402147ND
2015-04-2012633463ND
2015-04-2012633484ND
2015-04-2012633526ND
2015-04-2012633505ND
2015-06-1512882977ND
2015-07-1313013072ND
2015-07-1313013098ND
2015-07-1313013124ND
2015-07-1313013150ND
2015-07-1313013176ND
2015-08-1713135673ND
2015-08-1713135694ND
2015-08-1713135736ND
2015-08-1713135757ND
2015-08-1713135715ND
2015-08-1713135778ND
2015-09-1413264715ND
2015-09-1413264741ND
2015-09-1413264767ND
2015-10-0513389219ND
2015-10-0513389240ND
2015-10-0513389282ND
2015-10-0513389261ND
2015-11-1113514210ND
2015-11-1113514147ND
2015-11-1113514168ND
2015-11-1113514189ND
2015-11-1113514231ND
2015-12-0213633351ND
2015-12-0213633377ND
2015-12-0213633403ND
2015-12-0213633429ND
2015-12-0213633455ND
2015-12-0213633481ND
2015-12-0913633507ND
2015-12-0913633307ND
2015-12-1413633328ND
2016-01-1813753170ND
2016-01-1813753191ND
2016-01-1813753212ND
2016-01-1813753233ND
2016-02-1713870707ND
2016-02-1713870728ND
2016-02-1713870644ND
2016-02-1713870665ND
2016-02-1713870686ND
2016-02-1713870749ND
2016-03-0213986058ND
2016-03-0213986084ND
2016-03-0213986110ND
2016-03-0213986136ND
2016-03-0213986162ND
2016-04-1814102975ND
2016-04-1814102996ND
2016-04-1814103038ND
2016-04-1814103017ND
2016-05-1614250810ND
2016-05-1614250831ND
2016-05-1614250852ND
2016-05-1614250873ND
2016-06-0614405895ND
2016-06-0614405922ND
2016-06-0614405976ND
2016-06-0614406003ND
2016-06-0614405949ND
2016-07-1814569956ND
2016-07-1814569977ND
2016-07-1814569998ND
2016-07-1814570019ND
2016-08-0114735676ND
2016-08-0114735697ND
2016-08-0114735613ND
2016-08-0114735634ND
2016-08-0114735655ND
2016-08-0114735718ND
2016-08-2314907957ND
2016-09-0714908084ND
2016-09-0714908111ND
2016-09-0714908138ND
2016-09-0714908165ND
2016-09-0714908192ND
2016-10-2415075733ND
2016-10-2415075754ND
2016-10-2415075796ND
2016-10-2415075775ND
2016-11-1415226170ND
2016-11-1415226086ND
2016-11-1415226107ND
2016-11-1415226212ND
2016-11-1415226128ND
2016-11-1415226191ND
2016-11-1415226149ND
2016-12-0515372195ND
2016-12-0515372216ND
2016-12-0515372237ND
2016-12-0515372258ND
2016-12-0515372279ND
2017-01-2315517784ND
2017-01-2315517805ND
2017-01-2315517826ND
2017-01-2315517847ND
2017-02-2215655943ND
2017-02-2315656027ND
2017-02-2315656048ND
2017-02-2315655964ND
2017-02-2315655985ND
2017-02-2315656006ND
2017-02-2315656069ND
2017-03-2215796089ND
2017-03-2215796116ND
2017-03-2215796143ND
2017-03-2215796170ND
2017-03-2215796197ND
2017-04-1715937481ND
2017-04-1715937502ND
2017-04-1715937544ND
2017-04-1715937523ND
2017-05-1516094576ND
2017-05-1516094597ND
2017-05-1516094660ND
2017-05-1516094618ND
2017-05-1516094639ND
2017-07-0516413117ND
2017-07-0516413138ND
2017-07-0516413159ND
2017-07-1716413714ND
2017-07-1716413735ND
2017-07-1716413756ND
2017-07-1716413777ND
2017-08-0216566174ND
2017-08-0216566195ND
2017-08-0216566069ND
2017-08-0216566090ND
2017-08-0216566153ND
2017-08-0216566111ND
2017-08-0216566132ND
2017-09-1116726754ND
2017-09-1116726781ND
2017-09-1116726808ND
2017-09-1116726835ND
2017-09-1116726862ND
2017-10-1616880085ND
2017-10-1616880106ND
2017-10-1616880148ND
2017-10-1616880127ND
2017-11-0117023341ND
2017-11-0117023362ND
2017-11-0117023425ND
2017-11-0117023383ND
2017-11-0117023404ND
2017-12-0417161963ND
2017-12-0417161984ND
2017-12-0417162026ND
2017-12-0417162047ND
2017-12-0417162005ND
2017-12-0417162068ND
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