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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

North Wales 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

 

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 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
2014-03-0420140745ND
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
2015-03-1012516872ND
2015-03-1612516767ND
2015-03-1612516851ND
2015-03-1612516830ND
2015-03-1612516809ND
2015-03-1612516788ND
2015-03-1612516746ND
2015-03-1612516725ND
2015-03-1612516704ND
2015-03-1612516683ND
2015-07-0613014454ND
2015-09-1413265894ND
2015-12-0113634677ND
2016-03-0713987502ND
2016-03-1413987439ND
2016-03-1413987481ND
2016-03-1413987460ND
2016-03-1413987418ND
2016-03-1413987397ND
2016-03-1413987376ND
2016-03-1413987355ND
2016-03-1413987334ND
2016-03-1413987313ND
2016-06-0714407383ND
2016-06-2914407410ND
2016-09-0614909859ND
2016-12-0615374027ND
2017-03-1615797870ND
2017-05-0116096376ND
2017-05-0116096355ND
2017-05-0116096292ND
2017-05-0116096460ND
2017-05-0116096313ND
2017-05-0116096439ND
2017-05-0116096418ND
2017-05-0116096334ND
2017-05-0116096397ND
2017-06-0616259061ND
2017-09-0516728661ND
2017-12-0517163823ND
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