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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Carbon tetrachloride

Aqua Pennsylvania Main System

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

 

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 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
2014-01-06AE19666ND
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
2015-01-0512290017ND
2015-01-0712289944ND
2015-01-0712290047ND
2015-01-0712290060ND
2015-01-0712290086ND
2015-01-0812289974ND
2015-01-0812289983ND
2015-01-2212289923ND
2015-01-2312290007ND
2015-02-0312405400ND
2015-02-0312405526ND
2015-02-0412405358ND
2015-02-0412405379ND
2015-02-0412405421ND
2015-02-0412405442ND
2015-02-0412405463ND
2015-02-0412405484ND
2015-02-0412405505ND
2015-04-0612636859ND
2015-04-2212636880ND
2015-04-2312636817ND
2015-04-2912636838ND
2015-06-0312885166ND
2015-06-0412885145ND
2015-07-2013016810ND
2015-07-2213016576ND
2015-07-2213016597ND
2015-07-2313016534ND
2015-07-2313016555ND
2015-08-0513138448ND
2015-09-3013267563ND
2015-10-2113392024ND
2015-10-2213391961ND
2015-10-2213391982ND
2015-10-2213392003ND
2015-11-0213516762ND
2015-11-2313517517ND
2016-01-0613756201ND
2016-01-0613756222ND
2016-01-0613756306ND
2016-01-1113756159ND
2016-01-2013756138ND
2016-01-2013756180ND
2016-01-2113756075ND
2016-01-2113756096ND
2016-01-2113756117ND
2016-01-2813756243ND
2016-01-2813756264ND
2016-01-2813756285ND
2016-02-0513872914ND
2016-02-1013872935ND
2016-03-0313989328ND
2016-03-1513989370ND
2016-03-1713989349ND
2016-03-1813989391ND
2016-04-1114107130ND
2016-04-1114107151ND
2016-04-1114107172ND
2016-04-1114107214ND
2016-04-1114107235ND
2016-04-1414107193ND
2016-07-2914573691ND
2016-08-0214739171ND
2016-08-0414739114ND
2016-08-0414739125ND
2016-08-0414739147ND
2016-10-2415079389ND
2016-10-2415079410ND
2016-10-2415079431ND
2016-11-0715229345ND
2016-11-2115229366ND
2016-12-0115229910ND
2017-01-0315521173ND
2017-01-1615521215ND
2017-01-1815521110ND
2017-01-1815521131ND
2017-01-1815521194ND
2017-01-2415521152ND
2017-03-2815800262ND
2017-03-2915800283ND
2017-04-0315942280ND
2017-04-1215942322ND
2017-04-1715942217ND
2017-04-1715942238ND
2017-04-1915942259ND
2017-04-1915942301ND
2017-06-1916262182ND
2017-06-2016262203ND
2017-06-2016262224ND
2017-06-2116262245ND
2017-08-0716571180ND
2017-09-1516730772ND
2017-09-1816730709ND
2017-09-1816731943ND
2017-09-1916730730ND
2017-09-1916730751ND
2017-09-1916731859ND
2017-09-2016731880ND
2017-09-2016731901ND
2017-09-2016731922ND
2017-09-2716883583ND
2017-12-2017165323ND
2017-12-2117165348ND
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