Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Tempe Water Supply Corporation 1

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.

 

24

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
2021ND40ND
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
2018-02-13AE13556ND
2018-02-13AE13592ND
2018-02-13AE13596ND
2018-02-13AE13554ND
2019-02-26AE55992ND
2019-02-26AE55996ND
2019-02-26AE56002ND
2019-02-26AE56004ND
2020-02-12AE98142ND
2020-02-12AE98144ND
2020-02-12AE98146ND
2020-02-12AE98190ND
2021-01-27AF41351ND
2021-01-27AF41361ND
2021-01-27AF41359ND
2021-01-27AF41357ND
2022-02-09AF84010ND
2022-02-09AF84012ND
2022-02-09AF84014ND
2022-02-09AF84016ND
2023-02-16AG29345ND
2023-02-16AG29347ND
2023-02-16AG29357ND
2023-05-30AG42342ND