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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Penn State Univ.

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

 

71

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND140ND
2015ND70ND
2016ND240ND
2017ND130ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND40ND

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
2014-01-234A23025-06ND
2014-01-234A23025-07ND
2014-01-234A23033-06ND
2014-02-204B20042-07ND
2014-02-204B20042-06ND
2014-02-204B20041-07ND
2014-03-114C11016-07ND
2014-03-114C11027-07ND
2014-03-114C11016-06ND
2014-04-094D09031-01ND
2014-04-094D09037-01ND
2014-04-094D09036-01ND
2014-06-114F11107-04ND
2014-06-114F11107-05ND
2015-01-2113561263ND
2015-11-1113561200ND
2015-11-1113561152ND
2015-11-1113561176ND
2015-12-1013681463ND
2015-12-1013681505ND
2015-12-1013681462ND
2016-02-2313917088ND
2016-02-2313917058ND
2016-02-2313917087ND
2016-03-1614032194ND
2016-03-1614032217ND
2016-03-1614032171ND
2016-04-2014163573ND
2016-04-2014163574ND
2016-04-2014163544ND
2016-05-1814312881ND
2016-05-1814312882ND
2016-05-1814312924ND
2016-06-2114471206ND
2016-06-2114471207ND
2016-06-2114471250ND
2016-07-1914636449ND
2016-07-1914636448ND
2016-07-1914636417ND
2016-08-2314804499ND
2016-08-2314804474ND
2016-08-2314804524ND
2016-09-2814975865ND
2016-09-2814975864ND
2016-09-2814975908ND
2017-01-1715573221ND
2017-01-1715573220ND
2017-01-1815573189ND
2017-02-2315709634ND
2017-02-2315709633ND
2017-03-2315850694ND
2017-03-2815850822ND
2017-04-1816001564ND
2017-04-1816001563ND
2017-07-1216473281ND
2017-08-0316629356ND
2017-10-3116937419ND
2017-11-3017077358ND
2018-01-318A31018-01ND
2018-02-208B21092-08ND
2018-02-228B23070-07ND
2018-04-118D12138-07ND
2018-04-268D27100-10ND
2018-06-018F01151-05ND
2018-07-118G12180-04ND
2018-08-018H02080-01ND
2018-10-048J05241-01ND
2019-02-219B22087-01ND
2019-05-099E13165-01ND
2019-08-149H15241-01ND
2019-10-249J28033-01ND