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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Waterville Fire District 1

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

55

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND110ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND350ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND10ND
2019N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) 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 dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-05-1314V00186ND
2014-07-0915V00005ND
2014-09-30SB97478-09ND
2014-09-30SB97478-08ND
2014-09-30SB97478-07ND
2014-09-30SB97478-06ND
2014-09-30SB97478-05ND
2014-09-30SB97478-04ND
2014-09-30SB97478-03ND
2014-09-30SB97478-01ND
2014-11-1215V00134ND
2015-03-0515V00177ND
2015-04-2015V00191ND
2015-07-0716V00004ND
2015-10-2916V00063ND
2016-02-2216V00099ND
2016-05-2416V00136ND
2016-06-23SC22991-22ND
2016-06-23SC22991-20ND
2016-06-23SC22991-19ND
2016-06-23SC22991-18ND
2016-06-23SC22991-17ND
2016-06-23SC22991-16ND
2016-06-23SC22991-15ND
2016-06-23SC22991-14ND
2016-06-23SC22991-13ND
2016-06-23SC22991-12ND
2016-09-16SC26197-07ND
2016-09-19SC26197-10ND
2016-09-19SC26197-09ND
2016-09-19SC26197-06ND
2016-09-19SC26197-05ND
2016-09-19SC26197-04ND
2016-09-19SC26197-03ND
2016-09-19SC26197-02ND
2016-09-19SC26197-01ND
2016-10-2817V00052ND
2016-12-15SC29638-10ND
2016-12-15SC29638-01ND
2016-12-15SC29638-02ND
2016-12-15SC29638-04ND
2016-12-15SC29638-05ND
2016-12-15SC29638-06ND
2016-12-15SC29638-07ND
2016-12-15SC29638-08ND
2016-12-15SC29638-09ND
2016-12-15SC29638-11ND
2016-12-15SC29638-12ND
2016-12-15SC29638-13ND
2016-12-2117V00066ND
2017-01-161701-01291-004ND
2017-01-161701-01291-001ND
2017-05-161705-10340-002ND
2017-05-161705-10340-001ND
2018-06-271806-15203-001ND