Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Concan Water Supply Corporation

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
2018-01-25AE10558ND
2018-04-16AE22551ND
2018-08-09AE36398ND
2018-12-13AE48838ND
2019-02-28AE56584ND
2019-02-28AE56588ND
2019-02-28AE56592ND
2019-08-26AE80657ND
2020-08-12AF23217ND
2020-08-12AF23219ND
2020-08-12AF23221ND
2020-08-12AF23223ND
2021-05-19AF54642ND
2021-05-19AF54644ND
2021-09-22AF70823ND
2021-09-22AF70825ND
2022-03-08AF88082ND
2022-08-16AG09478ND
2022-08-16AG09480ND
2022-08-16AG09482ND
2023-08-24AG54024ND
2023-11-06AG62379ND
2023-11-06AG62381ND
2023-11-06AG62383ND