Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Myrtle Springs 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.

 

27

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND60ND

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
2018-06-28Q1825924020ND
2018-06-28Q1825924022ND
2018-06-28Q1825924017ND
2019-08-26Q1959383002ND
2019-08-26Q1959383004ND
2019-08-26Q1959383006ND
2020-03-23Q2012172009ND
2020-05-21Q2020401006ND
2020-08-12Q2032124004ND
2020-08-12Q2032124006ND
2020-08-12Q2032124008ND
2020-08-12Q2032124019ND
2020-11-20Q2046941001ND
2021-06-29Q2116915007ND
2021-06-29Q2116915013ND
2021-06-29Q2116915011ND
2021-06-29Q2116915009ND
2022-06-09Q2216228001ND
2022-06-09Q2216228003ND
2022-06-09Q2216228005ND
2022-06-09Q2216228007ND
2023-04-19Q2314546005ND
2023-04-19Q2314546007ND
2023-04-19Q2314546009ND
2023-04-19Q2314546011ND
2023-09-06Q2338438003ND
2023-12-06Q2352167001ND