Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Clark Public Utilities

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.

 

30

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND40ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND30ND
2022ND70ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-01ND
2018-08-28ND
2018-08-28ND
2018-09-18ND
2018-09-18ND
2018-09-18ND
2018-11-18ND
2019-02-24ND
2019-02-24ND
2019-07-22ND
2019-09-05ND
2021-06-304143007ND
2021-08-024169145ND
2021-08-024169136ND
2022-07-274328694ND
2022-07-284328685ND
2022-07-284328702ND
2022-07-284328695ND
2022-08-034328680ND
2022-08-034328676ND
2022-08-034328682ND
2023-05-234545879ND
2023-06-124473924ND
2023-06-124473920ND
2023-06-124473922ND
2023-06-124473923ND