Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Frankston Rural Water Supply Corporation

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.

 

24

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-03-20Q1811175004ND
2018-03-20Q1811175015ND
2018-03-20Q1811175022ND
2018-03-20Q1811175001ND
2019-04-16Q1915468005ND
2019-04-16Q1915468006ND
2019-04-16Q1915468008ND
2019-04-16Q1915468010ND
2020-10-28Q2041673001ND
2020-10-28Q2041673003ND
2020-10-28Q2041673005ND
2020-10-28Q2041673007ND
2021-08-05Q2120747014ND
2021-08-05Q2120747020ND
2021-08-05Q2120747018ND
2021-08-05Q2120747016ND
2022-10-21Q2232000002ND
2022-10-21Q2232000004ND
2022-10-21Q2232000006ND
2022-11-16Q2234518001ND
2023-04-12Q2313663005ND
2023-04-12Q2313663007ND
2023-04-12Q2313663009ND
2023-04-12Q2313663011ND