Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Harleton Water Supply Corporation

NOTE: Harleton Water Supply Corporation purchases water from Northeast Texas Municipal Water District which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by Northeast Texas Municipal Water District.

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.

 

7

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND10ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND10ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

NOTE: Harleton Water Supply Corporation purchases water from Northeast Texas Municipal Water District which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by Northeast Texas Municipal Water District.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-09-20Q1837729001ND
2019-08-14Q1954876001ND
2020-04-23Q2016185003ND
2020-08-18Q2032884003ND
2021-02-09Q2103854003ND
2022-03-01Q2206887005ND
2023-01-18Q2302651002ND