Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

South Grayson Special Utility District

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.

 

34

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND50ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-02-06Q1804974001ND
2018-05-04Q1818259004ND
2018-10-15Q1840862007ND
2018-10-15Q1840862009ND
2018-10-15Q1840862011ND
2018-10-15Q1840862013ND
2019-08-13Q1954236016ND
2019-08-13Q1954236018ND
2019-08-13Q1954236014ND
2019-08-13Q1954236012ND
2019-08-13Q1954236010ND
2020-08-06Q2031194009ND
2020-08-06Q2031194011ND
2020-08-06Q2031194013ND
2020-08-06Q2031194015ND
2020-08-06Q2031194017ND
2021-11-10Q2131631012ND
2021-11-10Q2131631018ND
2021-11-10Q2131631016ND
2021-11-10Q2131631014ND
2021-11-10Q2131631010ND
2022-02-08Q2204251002ND
2022-04-26Q2212466007ND
2022-04-26Q2212466009ND
2022-04-26Q2212466011ND
2022-04-26Q2212466013ND
2022-04-26Q2212466015ND
2022-08-17Q2224360001ND
2022-10-19Q2231831001ND
2023-05-16Q2318439007ND
2023-05-16Q2318439009ND
2023-05-16Q2318439011ND
2023-05-16Q2318439013ND
2023-05-16Q2318439015ND