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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Aqua Pennsylvania Main System

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

 

182

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

58

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.355 ppb338ND - 2.60 ppb
20150.665 ppb3714ND - 4.00 ppb
20160.480 ppb3510ND - 3.00 ppb
20170.587 ppb3112ND - 3.30 ppb
20180.671 ppb217ND - 3.00 ppb
20190.440 ppb257ND - 2.90 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
2014-01-06AE19666ND
2014-01-08AE19654ND
2014-01-08AE196531.000 ppb
2014-01-09AE19808ND
2014-01-09AE198141.30 ppb
2014-02-05AE22406ND
2014-02-06AE223952.60 ppb
2014-02-06AE22429ND
2014-02-19AE24127ND
2014-02-19AE24128ND
2014-02-19AE24152ND
2014-02-26AE23735ND
2014-04-14AE29526ND
2014-04-15AE29528ND
2014-04-15AE29507ND
2014-04-23AE299392.60 ppb
2014-04-23AE29914ND
2014-04-23AE29839ND
2014-04-23AE29840ND
2014-04-23AE29916ND
2014-04-24AE29947ND
2014-04-24AE299520.900 ppb
2014-07-21AE41025ND
2014-07-23AE41635ND
2014-07-23AE40895ND
2014-07-24AE40881ND
2014-07-24AE408861.10 ppb
2014-10-22AE53545ND
2014-10-22AE535370.800 ppb
2014-10-23AE53645ND
2014-10-23AE536461.40 ppb
2014-12-11AE59777ND
2014-12-29AE61209ND
2015-01-0512290022ND
2015-01-07122899483.30 ppb
2015-01-0712290038ND
2015-01-0712290067ND
2015-01-07122900831.10 ppb
2015-01-0812289958ND
2015-01-08122899941.20 ppb
2015-01-22122899274.00 ppb
2015-01-2312290000ND
2015-02-0312405404ND
2015-02-0312405530ND
2015-02-0412405362ND
2015-02-0412405383ND
2015-02-0412405425ND
2015-02-0412405446ND
2015-02-0412405467ND
2015-02-0412405488ND
2015-02-0412405509ND
2015-04-0612636863ND
2015-04-22126368840.800 ppb
2015-04-2312636821ND
2015-04-29126368421.90 ppb
2015-06-0312885170ND
2015-06-04128851491.000 ppb
2015-07-2013016814ND
2015-07-2213016580ND
2015-07-22130166011.30 ppb
2015-07-2313016538ND
2015-07-23130165591.10 ppb
2015-08-0513138452ND
2015-09-30132675672.30 ppb
2015-10-21133920281.40 ppb
2015-10-2213391965ND
2015-10-22133919861.000 ppb
2015-10-22133920072.50 ppb
2015-11-0213516766ND
2015-11-23135175211.70 ppb
2016-01-0613756205ND
2016-01-0613756226ND
2016-01-0613756310ND
2016-01-1113756163ND
2016-01-20137561422.60 ppb
2016-01-2013756184ND
2016-01-2113756079ND
2016-01-21137561001.30 ppb
2016-01-21137561212.60 ppb
2016-01-2813756247ND
2016-01-2813756268ND
2016-01-28137562891.30 ppb
2016-02-0513872918ND
2016-02-1013872939ND
2016-03-0313989332ND
2016-03-1513989374ND
2016-03-1713989353ND
2016-03-1813989395ND
2016-04-1114107134ND
2016-04-11141071550.900 ppb
2016-04-1114107176ND
2016-04-1114107218ND
2016-04-1114107239ND
2016-04-1414107197ND
2016-07-29145736951.40 ppb
2016-08-0214739175ND
2016-08-0414739100ND
2016-08-04147391211.000 ppb
2016-08-0414739140ND
2016-10-2415079393ND
2016-10-2415079414ND
2016-10-24150794353.00 ppb
2016-11-0715229349ND
2016-11-21152293700.900 ppb
2016-12-01152299141.80 ppb
2017-01-0315521177ND
2017-01-16155212192.80 ppb
2017-01-1815521114ND
2017-01-18155211351.50 ppb
2017-01-18155211981.50 ppb
2017-01-2415521156ND
2017-03-2815800266ND
2017-03-2915800287ND
2017-04-0315942284ND
2017-04-12159423263.30 ppb
2017-04-17159422210.800 ppb
2017-04-17159422420.900 ppb
2017-04-1915942263ND
2017-04-19159423051.10 ppb
2017-06-19162621862.50 ppb
2017-06-2016262207ND
2017-06-2016262228ND
2017-06-2116262249ND
2017-08-0716571184ND
2017-09-1516730776ND
2017-09-18167307130.800 ppb
2017-09-1816731947ND
2017-09-19167307341.000 ppb
2017-09-19167307551.10 ppb
2017-09-1916731863ND
2017-09-2016731884ND
2017-09-2016731905ND
2017-09-2016731926ND
2017-09-2716883587ND
2017-12-20171653090.900 ppb
2017-12-2117165343ND
2018-01-17AF743873.00 ppb
2018-01-29AF74797ND
2018-01-29AF74445ND
2018-01-29AF74447ND
2018-01-29AF744461.10 ppb
2018-01-29AF74448ND
2018-01-31AF744342.40 ppb
2018-01-31AF744351.60 ppb
2018-01-31AF744332.60 ppb
2018-01-31AF744312.70 ppb
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
2018-11-16AG011150.700 ppb
2019-01-28AG070591.60 ppb
2019-01-29AG07266ND
2019-03-04AG10320ND
2019-03-04AG10261ND
2019-03-06AG10532ND
2019-03-06AG10533ND
2019-03-06AG10552ND
2019-03-11AG104502.70 ppb
2019-03-13AG104822.90 ppb
2019-03-19AG10263ND
2019-03-19AG10265ND
2019-03-19AG102640.700 ppb
2019-03-26AG12576ND
2019-04-08AG133121.70 ppb
2019-04-08AG13600ND
2019-04-10AG129180.700 ppb
2019-04-24AG14544ND
2019-04-24AG14546ND
2019-05-06AG16471ND
2019-05-07AG16502ND
2019-05-30AG18878ND
2019-06-19AG20510ND
2019-10-16AG35352ND
2019-10-18AG36414ND
2019-10-23AG361110.700 ppb