Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Kress Municipal Water System

Carbon tetrachloride, a volatile carcinogenic solvent, has been used in industrial chemical production and as a dry cleaning ingredient. Read More.

Carbon tetrachloride is no longer permitted in products intended for home use in the U.S. In the past, it was widely used as a dry cleaning ingredient, fire extinguishing chemical, pesticide and chemical intermediate for manufacturing refrigerants. Carbon tetrachloride does not break down easily and can remain in groundwater for years. In addition to increasing cancer risk, carbon tetrachloride harms the liver and causes central nervous system depression, irregular heart rate, and kidney damage. Maternal exposure to carbon tetrachloride in drinking water has been associated with a risk of birth defects.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

30

Samples

1

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

17

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20182.33 ppb53ND - 5.42 ppb
20192.26 ppb53ND - 4.93 ppb
20201.33 ppb53ND - 2.53 ppb
20211.58 ppb53ND - 4.09 ppb
20221.87 ppb54ND - 4.67 ppb
20230.380 ppb51ND - 1.90 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.1 ppb for carbon tetrachloride 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 carbon tetrachloride, established in 1987, 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 carbon tetrachloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-01-18Q1802138001ND
2018-05-17Q1820299002ND
2018-05-17Q18202990033.31 ppb
2018-08-01Q18305680012.94 ppb
2018-10-09Q18401250015.42 ppb
2019-01-24Q19035710034.20 ppb
2019-04-09Q1914247002ND
2019-04-09Q1914247003ND
2019-07-09Q19427240024.93 ppb
2019-10-29Q19744020012.18 ppb
2020-01-16Q2001710003ND
2020-04-08Q20143140012.53 ppb
2020-04-08Q2014314006ND
2020-07-23Q20289820021.94 ppb
2020-11-12Q20446500012.16 ppb
2021-02-09Q21038980034.09 ppb
2021-04-20Q2110121008ND
2021-04-20Q2110121010ND
2021-08-05Q21206880013.27 ppb
2021-10-14Q21288080010.520 ppb
2022-01-13Q22014130020.600 ppb
2022-04-07Q2210890002ND
2022-04-07Q22108900043.16 ppb
2022-08-15Q22236460014.67 ppb
2022-10-18Q22315230020.930 ppb
2023-01-19Q23028650021.90 ppb
2023-04-05Q2312655001ND
2023-07-31Q2330814004ND
2023-07-31Q2330814006ND
2023-11-06Q2347394001ND