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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Trichloroacetic acid

Bethesda WSC

Trichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. Click here to read more about disinfection byproducts.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

96

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

44

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20141.12 ppb1613ND - 2.10 ppb
20150.888 ppb169ND - 3.70 ppb
20160.856 ppb1610ND - 1.70 ppb
20170.275 ppb164ND - 1.10 ppb
20180.819 ppb164ND - 3.50 ppb
20190.350 ppb164ND - 1.50 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for trichloroacetic acid was proposed in 2020 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.a one-in-a-million lifetime risk of cancer. Values greater than one-in-a-million cancer risk level can result in increased cancer cases above one in a million people.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-03-20Q14091140041.000 ppb
2014-03-20Q14091140031.30 ppb
2014-03-20Q14091140021.000 ppb
2014-03-20Q14091140011.20 ppb
2014-06-13Q14213280011.50 ppb
2014-06-13Q14213280141.50 ppb
2014-06-13Q1421328013ND
2014-06-13Q14213280121.20 ppb
2014-09-08Q14419540041.70 ppb
2014-09-08Q14419540031.50 ppb
2014-09-08Q14419540012.10 ppb
2014-09-08Q14419540021.60 ppb
2014-11-19Q1456730008ND
2014-11-19Q14567300071.30 ppb
2014-11-19Q1456730006ND
2014-11-19Q14567300051.000 ppb
2015-02-03Q15040440051.000 ppb
2015-02-03Q15040440081.20 ppb
2015-02-03Q15040440071.000 ppb
2015-02-03Q15040440061.000 ppb
2015-04-22Q1515039021ND
2015-04-22Q1515039022ND
2015-04-22Q1515039024ND
2015-04-22Q1515039023ND
2015-08-04Q15302330101.10 ppb
2015-08-04Q15302330091.10 ppb
2015-08-04Q1530233008ND
2015-08-04Q1530233007ND
2015-11-02Q15434320041.80 ppb
2015-11-02Q15434320033.70 ppb
2015-11-02Q1543432002ND
2015-11-02Q15434320012.30 ppb
2016-02-17Q1607184009ND
2016-02-17Q16071840081.20 ppb
2016-02-17Q16071840101.30 ppb
2016-02-17Q1607184011ND
2016-04-20Q1615721017ND
2016-04-20Q1615721016ND
2016-04-20Q1615721015ND
2016-04-20Q1615721014ND
2016-09-06Q16353940041.30 ppb
2016-09-06Q16353940031.30 ppb
2016-09-06Q16353940021.50 ppb
2016-09-06Q16353940011.30 ppb
2016-11-08Q16482130181.30 ppb
2016-11-08Q16482130211.30 ppb
2016-11-08Q16482130201.50 ppb
2016-11-08Q16482130191.70 ppb
2017-01-31Q17041220241.10 ppb
2017-01-31Q17041220111.10 ppb
2017-01-31Q17041220101.10 ppb
2017-01-31Q17041220091.10 ppb
2017-04-18Q1715805005ND
2017-04-18Q1715805004ND
2017-04-18Q1715805003ND
2017-04-18Q1715805002ND
2017-07-18Q1729512003ND
2017-07-18Q1729512002ND
2017-07-18Q1729512004ND
2017-07-18Q1729512005ND
2017-10-17Q1753293006ND
2017-10-17Q1753293023ND
2017-10-17Q1753293028ND
2017-10-17Q1753293032ND
2018-02-21Q1807322008ND
2018-02-21Q1807322002ND
2018-02-21Q1807322007ND
2018-02-21Q1807322006ND
2018-05-16Q1819957036ND
2018-05-16Q1819957037ND
2018-05-16Q1819957039ND
2018-05-16Q1819957038ND
2018-07-25Q1829607005ND
2018-07-25Q1829607004ND
2018-07-25Q1829607003ND
2018-07-25Q1829607002ND
2018-10-19Q18420520123.50 ppb
2018-10-19Q18420520113.30 ppb
2018-10-19Q18420520103.20 ppb
2018-10-19Q18420520093.10 ppb
2019-01-15Q19019900141.40 ppb
2019-01-15Q19019900131.50 ppb
2019-01-15Q19019900151.30 ppb
2019-01-15Q19019900161.40 ppb
2019-04-11Q1914886033ND
2019-04-11Q1914886032ND
2019-04-11Q1914886031ND
2019-04-11Q1914886030ND
2019-08-06Q1951620005ND
2019-08-06Q1951620004ND
2019-08-06Q1951620003ND
2019-08-06Q1951620002ND
2019-10-07Q1971784003ND
2019-10-07Q1971784006ND
2019-10-07Q1971784005ND
2019-10-07Q1971784004ND