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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

North Penn Water 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

 

310

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

59

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.101 ppb518ND - 0.900 ppb
20150.188 ppb4712ND - 0.943 ppb
20160.185 ppb6018ND - 0.830 ppb
20170.125 ppb5910ND - 1.02 ppb
20180.0711 ppb485ND - 0.800 ppb
20190.100 ppb456ND - 0.934 ppb

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
2014-01-2020140222ND
2014-01-20201402230.574 ppb
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
2014-04-02201411230.566 ppb
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
2014-07-16201424460.568 ppb
2014-07-1620142447ND
2014-08-1820142827ND
2014-08-1820142828ND
2014-08-1820142824ND
2014-08-1820142825ND
2014-08-1820142826ND
2014-08-18201428290.576 ppb
2014-09-0820143077ND
2014-09-08201430780.669 ppb
2014-09-0820143079ND
2014-09-0820143080ND
2014-09-0820143081ND
2014-11-1014110622-001ND
2014-11-1014110622-0020.700 ppb
2014-11-1014110622-003ND
2014-11-1014110622-0040.900 ppb
2014-12-0820144185ND
2014-12-08201441860.589 ppb
2014-12-0820144188ND
2014-12-0820144189ND
2014-12-0820144187ND
2015-01-1912287162ND
2015-01-19122871830.941 ppb
2015-01-1912287204ND
2015-01-1912287225ND
2015-02-0912402109ND
2015-02-0912402130ND
2015-02-0912402046ND
2015-02-09124020670.830 ppb
2015-02-0912402088ND
2015-02-09124021510.943 ppb
2015-04-2012633467ND
2015-04-20126334880.770 ppb
2015-04-2012633530ND
2015-04-2012633509ND
2015-06-1512882981ND
2015-07-1313013076ND
2015-07-1313013102ND
2015-07-1313013128ND
2015-07-1313013154ND
2015-07-1313013180ND
2015-08-1713135677ND
2015-08-17131356980.694 ppb
2015-08-1713135740ND
2015-08-1713135761ND
2015-08-1713135719ND
2015-08-17131357820.610 ppb
2015-09-1413264719ND
2015-09-14132647450.703 ppb
2015-09-1413264771ND
2015-10-0513389223ND
2015-10-05133892440.571 ppb
2015-10-0513389286ND
2015-10-0513389265ND
2015-11-1113514214ND
2015-11-1113514151ND
2015-11-11135141720.628 ppb
2015-11-1113514193ND
2015-11-1113514235ND
2015-12-0213633355ND
2015-12-02136333810.648 ppb
2015-12-0213633407ND
2015-12-0213633433ND
2015-12-0213633459ND
2015-12-02136334850.701 ppb
2015-12-0913633511ND
2015-12-0913633311ND
2015-12-14136333320.800 ppb
2016-01-1813753174ND
2016-01-18137531950.724 ppb
2016-01-1813753216ND
2016-01-1813753237ND
2016-02-1713870711ND
2016-02-1713870732ND
2016-02-1713870648ND
2016-02-17138706690.771 ppb
2016-02-1713870690ND
2016-02-17138707530.651 ppb
2016-03-0213986062ND
2016-03-02139860880.562 ppb
2016-03-0213986114ND
2016-03-0213986140ND
2016-03-0213986166ND
2016-04-1814102979ND
2016-04-18141030000.634 ppb
2016-04-1814103042ND
2016-04-1814103021ND
2016-05-1614250814ND
2016-05-16142508350.668 ppb
2016-05-1614250856ND
2016-05-16142508770.573 ppb
2016-06-0614405899ND
2016-06-06144059260.830 ppb
2016-06-0614405980ND
2016-06-0614406007ND
2016-06-0614405953ND
2016-07-1814569960ND
2016-07-18145699810.604 ppb
2016-07-1814570002ND
2016-07-1814570023ND
2016-08-0114735680ND
2016-08-0114735701ND
2016-08-0114735617ND
2016-08-01147356380.614 ppb
2016-08-0114735659ND
2016-08-01147357220.561 ppb
2016-08-2314907961ND
2016-09-0714908088ND
2016-09-07149081150.524 ppb
2016-09-0714908142ND
2016-09-0714908169ND
2016-09-07149081960.552 ppb
2016-10-2415075737ND
2016-10-24150757580.545 ppb
2016-10-2415075800ND
2016-10-2415075779ND
2016-11-1415226174ND
2016-11-1415226090ND
2016-11-14152261110.590 ppb
2016-11-1415226216ND
2016-11-1415226132ND
2016-11-1415226195ND
2016-11-14152261530.519 ppb
2016-12-0515372199ND
2016-12-05153722200.649 ppb
2016-12-0515372241ND
2016-12-0515372262ND
2016-12-05153722830.540 ppb
2017-01-2315517788ND
2017-01-23155178090.715 ppb
2017-01-2315517830ND
2017-01-2315517851ND
2017-02-2215655947ND
2017-02-2315656031ND
2017-02-2315656052ND
2017-02-2315655968ND
2017-02-23156559891.02 ppb
2017-02-2315656010ND
2017-02-2315656073ND
2017-03-2215796093ND
2017-03-22157961200.716 ppb
2017-03-2215796147ND
2017-03-2215796174ND
2017-03-2215796201ND
2017-04-1715937485ND
2017-04-17159375060.860 ppb
2017-04-1715937548ND
2017-04-1715937527ND
2017-05-1516094580ND
2017-05-1516094601ND
2017-05-1516094664ND
2017-05-1516094622ND
2017-05-1516094643ND
2017-07-0516413121ND
2017-07-0516413142ND
2017-07-0516413163ND
2017-07-1716413718ND
2017-07-17164137390.671 ppb
2017-07-1716413760ND
2017-07-1716413781ND
2017-08-0216566178ND
2017-08-0216566199ND
2017-08-0216566073ND
2017-08-02165660940.729 ppb
2017-08-0216566157ND
2017-08-0216566115ND
2017-08-0216566136ND
2017-09-1116726758ND
2017-09-11167267850.849 ppb
2017-09-1116726812ND
2017-09-1116726839ND
2017-09-1116726866ND
2017-10-1616880089ND
2017-10-16168801100.509 ppb
2017-10-1616880152ND
2017-10-1616880131ND
2017-11-0117023345ND
2017-11-01170233660.607 ppb
2017-11-0117023429ND
2017-11-0117023387ND
2017-11-0117023408ND
2017-12-0417161967ND
2017-12-04171619880.727 ppb
2017-12-0417162030ND
2017-12-0417162051ND
2017-12-0417162009ND
2017-12-0417162072ND
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
2018-03-20201810740.666 ppb
2018-03-2020181075ND
2018-03-2020181076ND
2018-04-1620181445ND
2018-04-1620181446ND
2018-04-1620181448ND
2018-04-1620181447ND
2018-05-0220181740ND
2018-05-02201817410.636 ppb
2018-05-0220181744ND
2018-05-0220181742ND
2018-05-02201817430.668 ppb
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
2018-08-01201829240.641 ppb
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
2018-12-108122542-010.800 ppb
2019-01-2120190220ND
2019-02-0420190410ND
2019-02-0420190411ND
2019-02-0420190409ND
2019-02-04201904120.697 ppb
2019-02-0720190528ND
2019-03-0420190828ND
2019-03-0420190829ND
2019-03-0420190830ND
2019-04-1720191516ND
2019-04-1720191518ND
2019-04-1720191517ND
2019-05-0220191674ND
2019-05-02201916750.934 ppb
2019-05-0220191678ND
2019-05-0220191676ND
2019-05-02201916770.643 ppb
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
2019-08-05201929790.899 ppb
2019-09-0420193493ND
2019-09-04201934940.506 ppb
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
2019-11-04201942690.828 ppb
2019-12-0220194693ND
2019-12-0220194694ND
2019-12-0220194696ND
2019-12-0220194697ND
2019-12-0220194695ND