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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Clwsc Canyon Lake Shores

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

 

84

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.442 ppb125ND - 1.30 ppb
2015ND170ND
2016ND160ND
2017ND120ND
20180.0688 ppb161ND - 1.10 ppb
2019ND110ND

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
2014-02-18AC43359ND
2014-02-18AC43351ND
2014-04-30AC52368ND
2014-04-30AC52372ND
2014-04-30AC52370ND
2014-09-03AC65659ND
2014-09-03AC65649ND
2014-10-08AC692031.000 ppb
2014-10-08AC691951.30 ppb
2014-10-08AC691990.900 ppb
2014-10-08AC692051.000 ppb
2014-10-08AC691971.10 ppb
2015-02-03AC79028ND
2015-02-03AC79030ND
2015-02-03AC79026ND
2015-03-26AC86267ND
2015-03-26AC86265ND
2015-03-26AC86275ND
2015-03-26AC86261ND
2015-03-26AC86247ND
2015-03-26AC86279ND
2015-03-26AC86307ND
2015-05-13AC91851ND
2015-05-13AC91861ND
2015-08-12AD03858ND
2015-08-12AD03864ND
2015-08-12AD03860ND
2015-08-12AD03868ND
2015-12-07AD15798ND
2016-02-03AD21854ND
2016-02-03AD21858ND
2016-02-03AD21852ND
2016-03-09AD27913ND
2016-03-09AD27899ND
2016-03-09AD27907ND
2016-03-09AD27915ND
2016-03-09AD27909ND
2016-04-27AD34448ND
2016-04-27AD34446ND
2016-07-26AD45731ND
2016-07-26AD45723ND
2016-07-26AD45729ND
2016-07-26AD45719ND
2016-10-04AD52487ND
2016-12-01AD59880ND
2017-01-25AD66838ND
2017-01-25AD66818ND
2017-02-24AD72107ND
2017-04-11AD79228ND
2017-04-11AD79210ND
2017-04-11AD79218ND
2017-06-27AD87924ND
2017-06-27AD87926ND
2017-06-27AD87930ND
2017-07-24AD90374ND
2017-07-24AD90376ND
2017-10-05AD99589ND
2018-02-07AE12781ND
2018-02-07AE12783ND
2018-02-07AE12787ND
2018-05-16AE26610ND
2018-05-16AE26608ND
2018-05-16AE26612ND
2018-05-17AE26793ND
2018-05-17AE26807ND
2018-05-17AE26811ND
2018-05-17AE26795ND
2018-05-17AE26813ND
2018-05-17AE26809ND
2018-07-26AE34700ND
2018-07-26AE34682ND
2018-07-26AE346801.10 ppb
2018-11-06AE45425ND
2019-02-06AE53216ND
2019-02-06AE53214ND
2019-02-06AE53212ND
2019-04-23AE63384ND
2019-04-23AE63386ND
2019-08-20AE79908ND
2019-08-20AE79904ND
2019-10-30AE88008ND
2019-10-30AE88002ND
2019-10-30AE88004ND
2019-10-30AE88006ND