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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Aqua Pennsylvania Main System

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

 

182

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND330ND
2015ND370ND
2016ND350ND
2017ND310ND
2018ND210ND
2019ND250ND

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
2014-01-06AE19666ND
2014-01-08AE19654ND
2014-01-08AE19653ND
2014-01-09AE19808ND
2014-01-09AE19814ND
2014-02-05AE22406ND
2014-02-06AE22395ND
2014-02-06AE22429ND
2014-02-19AE24127ND
2014-02-19AE24128ND
2014-02-19AE24152ND
2014-02-26AE23735ND
2014-04-14AE29526ND
2014-04-15AE29528ND
2014-04-15AE29507ND
2014-04-23AE29939ND
2014-04-23AE29914ND
2014-04-23AE29839ND
2014-04-23AE29840ND
2014-04-23AE29916ND
2014-04-24AE29947ND
2014-04-24AE29952ND
2014-07-21AE41025ND
2014-07-23AE41635ND
2014-07-23AE40895ND
2014-07-24AE40881ND
2014-07-24AE40886ND
2014-10-22AE53545ND
2014-10-22AE53537ND
2014-10-23AE53645ND
2014-10-23AE53646ND
2014-12-11AE59777ND
2014-12-29AE61209ND
2015-01-0512290027ND
2015-01-0712289936ND
2015-01-0712290053ND
2015-01-0712290075ND
2015-01-0712290095ND
2015-01-0812289970ND
2015-01-0812289980ND
2015-01-2212289915ND
2015-01-2312290011ND
2015-02-0312405392ND
2015-02-0312405518ND
2015-02-0412405350ND
2015-02-0412405371ND
2015-02-0412405413ND
2015-02-0412405434ND
2015-02-0412405455ND
2015-02-0412405476ND
2015-02-0412405497ND
2015-04-0612636851ND
2015-04-2212636872ND
2015-04-2312636809ND
2015-04-2912636830ND
2015-06-0312885158ND
2015-06-0412885137ND
2015-07-2013016802ND
2015-07-2213016568ND
2015-07-2213016589ND
2015-07-2313016526ND
2015-07-2313016547ND
2015-08-0513138440ND
2015-09-3013267555ND
2015-10-2113392016ND
2015-10-2213391953ND
2015-10-2213391974ND
2015-10-2213391995ND
2015-11-0213516754ND
2015-11-2313517509ND
2016-01-0613756193ND
2016-01-0613756214ND
2016-01-0613756298ND
2016-01-1113756151ND
2016-01-2013756130ND
2016-01-2013756172ND
2016-01-2113756067ND
2016-01-2113756088ND
2016-01-2113756109ND
2016-01-2813756235ND
2016-01-2813756256ND
2016-01-2813756277ND
2016-02-0513872906ND
2016-02-1013872927ND
2016-03-0313989320ND
2016-03-1513989362ND
2016-03-1713989341ND
2016-03-1813989383ND
2016-04-1114107122ND
2016-04-1114107143ND
2016-04-1114107164ND
2016-04-1114107206ND
2016-04-1114107227ND
2016-04-1414107185ND
2016-07-2914573683ND
2016-08-0214739162ND
2016-08-0414739110ND
2016-08-0414739129ND
2016-08-0414739151ND
2016-10-2415079381ND
2016-10-2415079402ND
2016-10-2415079423ND
2016-11-0715229337ND
2016-11-2115229358ND
2016-12-0115229902ND
2017-01-0315521165ND
2017-01-1615521207ND
2017-01-1815521102ND
2017-01-1815521123ND
2017-01-1815521186ND
2017-01-2415521144ND
2017-03-2815800254ND
2017-03-2915800275ND
2017-04-0315942272ND
2017-04-1215942314ND
2017-04-1715942209ND
2017-04-1715942230ND
2017-04-1915942251ND
2017-04-1915942293ND
2017-06-1916262174ND
2017-06-2016262195ND
2017-06-2016262216ND
2017-06-2116262237ND
2017-08-0716571172ND
2017-09-1516730764ND
2017-09-1816730785ND
2017-09-1816731935ND
2017-09-1916730722ND
2017-09-1916730743ND
2017-09-1916731851ND
2017-09-2016731872ND
2017-09-2016731893ND
2017-09-2016731914ND
2017-09-2716883575ND
2017-12-2017165327ND
2017-12-2117165334ND
2018-01-17AF74387ND
2018-01-29AF74797ND
2018-01-29AF74445ND
2018-01-29AF74447ND
2018-01-29AF74446ND
2018-01-29AF74448ND
2018-01-31AF74434ND
2018-01-31AF74435ND
2018-01-31AF74433ND
2018-01-31AF74431ND
2018-01-31AF74442ND
2018-01-31AF74441ND
2018-02-22AF74432ND
2018-02-26AF77278ND
2018-02-27AF77311ND
2018-02-27AF76921ND
2018-02-28AF77455ND
2018-02-28AF77456ND
2018-02-28AF77467ND
2018-03-26AF79915ND
2018-11-16AG01115ND
2019-01-28AG07059ND
2019-01-29AG07266ND
2019-03-04AG10320ND
2019-03-04AG10261ND
2019-03-06AG10532ND
2019-03-06AG10533ND
2019-03-06AG10552ND
2019-03-11AG10450ND
2019-03-13AG10482ND
2019-03-19AG10263ND
2019-03-19AG10265ND
2019-03-19AG10264ND
2019-03-26AG12576ND
2019-04-08AG13312ND
2019-04-08AG13600ND
2019-04-10AG12918ND
2019-04-24AG14544ND
2019-04-24AG14546ND
2019-05-06AG16471ND
2019-05-07AG16502ND
2019-05-30AG18878ND
2019-06-19AG20510ND
2019-10-16AG35352ND
2019-10-18AG36414ND
2019-10-23AG36111ND