Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Starr 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.

 

25

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
2021ND50ND
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
2018-10-04Q1839859004ND
2018-10-04Q1839859005ND
2018-10-04Q1839859007ND
2018-10-04Q1839859002ND
2019-08-27Q1960470001ND
2019-08-27Q1960470003ND
2019-08-27Q1960470005ND
2019-12-11Q1979772001ND
2020-09-29Q2038300011ND
2020-09-29Q2038300014ND
2020-09-29Q2038300016ND
2020-12-15Q2049655005ND
2021-05-19Q2113143005ND
2021-09-09Q2124597001ND
2021-11-17Q2132246001ND
2021-11-17Q2132246006ND
2021-11-17Q2132246008ND
2022-10-19Q2231830002ND
2022-10-19Q2231830004ND
2022-10-19Q2231830006ND
2022-10-19Q2231830008ND
2023-06-26Q2324322005ND
2023-06-26Q2324322007ND
2023-06-26Q2324322009ND
2023-06-26Q2324322011ND