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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

North Wales 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

 

77

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND120ND
2015ND130ND
2016ND140ND
2017ND130ND
2018ND130ND
2019ND120ND

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
2014-03-0420140745ND
2014-03-1720140959ND
2014-03-1720140958ND
2014-03-1720140966ND
2014-03-1720140965ND
2014-03-1720140964ND
2014-03-1720140963ND
2014-03-1720140962ND
2014-03-1720140961ND
2014-03-1720140960ND
2014-06-1020141963ND
2014-08-0520142640ND
2015-03-1012516860ND
2015-03-1612516755ND
2015-03-1612516839ND
2015-03-1612516818ND
2015-03-1612516797ND
2015-03-1612516776ND
2015-03-1612516734ND
2015-03-1612516713ND
2015-03-1612516692ND
2015-03-1612516671ND
2015-07-0613014442ND
2015-09-1413265882ND
2015-12-0113634665ND
2016-03-0713987490ND
2016-03-1413987427ND
2016-03-1413987469ND
2016-03-1413987448ND
2016-03-1413987406ND
2016-03-1413987385ND
2016-03-1413987364ND
2016-03-1413987343ND
2016-03-1413987322ND
2016-03-1413987301ND
2016-06-0714407371ND
2016-06-2914407398ND
2016-09-0614909847ND
2016-12-0615374015ND
2017-03-1615797858ND
2017-05-0116096364ND
2017-05-0116096343ND
2017-05-0116096280ND
2017-05-0116096448ND
2017-05-0116096301ND
2017-05-0116096427ND
2017-05-0116096406ND
2017-05-0116096322ND
2017-05-0116096385ND
2017-06-0616259049ND
2017-09-0516728649ND
2017-12-0517163811ND
2018-03-1220180936ND
2018-03-1220180937ND
2018-03-1220180935ND
2018-03-1220180938ND
2018-03-1220180934ND
2018-03-1220180939ND
2018-03-1220180933ND
2018-03-1220180940ND
2018-03-1220180932ND
2018-03-1320180956ND
2018-06-0520182148ND
2018-09-0420183373ND
2018-12-1820184775ND
2019-03-0520190857ND
2019-03-1220190961ND
2019-03-1220190960ND
2019-03-1220190962ND
2019-03-1220190959ND
2019-03-1220190963ND
2019-03-1220190958ND
2019-03-1220190964ND
2019-03-1220190957ND
2019-03-1220190956ND
2019-09-0320193443ND
2019-12-0320194748ND