Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Bonney Lake Water Department

NOTE: Bonney Lake Water Department purchases water from City of Tacoma which is required to test for carbon tetrachloride. Sample information shown below was taken by City of Tacoma.

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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND50ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND40ND

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

NOTE: Bonney Lake Water Department purchases water from City of Tacoma which is required to test for carbon tetrachloride. Sample information shown below was taken by City of Tacoma.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-07ND
2018-03-12ND
2018-03-19ND
2019-01-02ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-12-03ND
2021-06-214233773ND
2021-06-214137307ND
2021-06-214137308ND
2021-06-214137309ND
2021-06-304142811ND
2022-09-154368469ND
2022-09-234368470ND
2022-10-114363364ND
2022-11-154428454ND
2022-11-164388597ND
2023-06-204542958ND
2023-07-124542959ND
2023-07-124542960ND