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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Philadelphia Water Department

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

 

81

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
2014ND150ND
2015ND120ND
2016ND120ND
2017ND150ND
2018ND150ND
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
2014-02-12DW140212-000ND
2014-02-12DW140212-001ND
2014-02-12DW140212-003ND
2014-05-147463348ND
2014-05-147468948ND
2014-05-147463350ND
2014-05-147468950ND
2014-05-147468949ND
2014-05-147463349ND
2014-08-137570046ND
2014-08-137570047ND
2014-08-137570048ND
2014-11-19DW141119-002ND
2014-11-19DW141119-038ND
2014-11-19DW141119-019ND
2015-02-1112406531ND
2015-02-1112406491ND
2015-02-1112406511ND
2015-05-1312754283ND
2015-05-1312754303ND
2015-05-1312754263ND
2015-08-1213140290ND
2015-08-1213140310ND
2015-08-1213140270ND
2015-11-1813518611ND
2015-11-1813518631ND
2015-11-1813518591ND
2016-02-1013874725ND
2016-02-1013874705ND
2016-02-1013874685ND
2016-05-1114257186ND
2016-05-1114257226ND
2016-05-1114257206ND
2016-08-1014741967ND
2016-08-1014742007ND
2016-08-1014741987ND
2016-11-0915231743ND
2016-11-0915231703ND
2016-11-0915231723ND
2017-02-0815662020ND
2017-02-0815662000ND
2017-02-0815661980ND
2017-05-1016101783ND
2017-05-1016101803ND
2017-05-1016100843ND
2017-05-1016100803ND
2017-05-1016101763ND
2017-05-1016100823ND
2017-08-0916572496ND
2017-08-0916572516ND
2017-08-0916572476ND
2017-11-0817029190ND
2017-11-0817029210ND
2017-11-0817029170ND
2018-02-07DW180207-019ND
2018-02-07DW180207-037ND
2018-02-07DW180207-002ND
2018-05-09DW180509-019ND
2018-05-09DW180509-002ND
2018-05-09DW180509-035ND
2018-08-08DW180808-002ND
2018-08-088083919-01ND
2018-08-088083919-02ND
2018-08-08DW180808-019ND
2018-08-088083919-03ND
2018-08-08DW180808-035ND
2018-11-07DW181107-002ND
2018-11-07DW181107-018ND
2018-11-08DW181108-038ND
2019-02-13DW190213-034ND
2019-02-13DW190213-018ND
2019-02-13DW190213-002ND
2019-05-15DW190515-035ND
2019-05-15DW190515-019ND
2019-05-15DW190515-002ND
2019-08-149084421-06ND
2019-08-149084421-07ND
2019-08-149084421-08ND
2019-11-13DW191113-019ND
2019-11-13DW191113-035ND
2019-11-13DW191113-002ND