Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Kent Water Department

NOTE: Kent Water Department purchases water from City of Tacoma which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Tacoma.

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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND60ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND90ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND30ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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

NOTE: Kent Water Department purchases water from City of Tacoma which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). 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
2021-06-214137307ND
2021-06-214233773ND
2021-06-214137309ND
2021-06-214137308ND
2021-06-304142811ND
2022-09-154368469ND
2022-09-234368470ND
2022-10-114363364ND
2022-11-154428454ND
2022-11-164388597ND
2023-06-204542958ND
2023-07-124542960ND
2023-07-124542959ND