Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Gonzales County Water Supply Corporation

NOTE: Gonzales County Water Supply Corporation purchases water from City of Gonzales which is required to test for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Gonzales.

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.

 

15

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND30ND
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

NOTE: Gonzales County Water Supply Corporation purchases water from City of Gonzales which is required to test for tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Gonzales.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-05-03AE25102ND
2018-08-16AE37381ND
2019-03-05AE57172ND
2019-07-12AE74427ND
2020-01-21AE94327ND
2020-01-21AE94345ND
2020-04-13AF06481ND
2020-07-07AF18363ND
2020-11-13AF34895ND
2021-01-13AF39138ND
2021-01-13AF39140ND
2022-03-11AF88903ND
2022-09-30AG15716ND
2023-02-27AG30619ND
2023-02-27AG30625ND