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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Penn State Univ.

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

 

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 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
2014-01-234A23025-06ND
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
2015-01-2113561275ND
2015-11-1113561212ND
2015-11-1113561164ND
2015-11-1113561188ND
2015-12-1013681487ND
2015-12-1013681517ND
2015-12-1013681486ND
2016-02-2313917112ND
2016-02-2313917070ND
2016-02-2313917111ND
2016-03-1614032206ND
2016-03-1614032229ND
2016-03-1614032183ND
2016-04-2014163597ND
2016-04-2014163598ND
2016-04-2014163556ND
2016-05-1814312905ND
2016-05-1814312906ND
2016-05-1814312936ND
2016-06-2114471230ND
2016-06-2114471231ND
2016-06-2114471262ND
2016-07-1914636473ND
2016-07-1914636472ND
2016-07-1914636429ND
2016-08-2314804511ND
2016-08-2314804486ND
2016-08-2314804536ND
2016-09-2814975889ND
2016-09-2814975888ND
2016-09-2814975920ND
2017-01-1715573245ND
2017-01-1715573244ND
2017-01-1815573201ND
2017-02-2315709658ND
2017-02-2315709657ND
2017-03-2315850706ND
2017-03-2815850834ND
2017-04-1816001588ND
2017-04-1816001587ND
2017-07-1216473293ND
2017-08-0316629368ND
2017-10-3116937431ND
2017-11-3017077370ND
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