Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Carbon tetrachloride

Southwood Water System

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.

 

26

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

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

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

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-14ND
2018-03-14ND
2018-05-04ND
2018-07-19ND
2019-06-26ND
2019-07-12ND
2019-07-12ND
2019-09-05ND
2019-10-15ND
2021-03-124166774ND
2021-03-124164633ND
2021-03-174205286ND
2022-01-264240241ND
2022-01-264240240ND
2022-01-264240242ND
2022-01-274240239ND
2022-02-044240245ND
2022-02-044240244ND
2022-10-114465087ND
2022-10-174370660ND
2022-10-314464989ND
2022-10-314465043ND
2022-11-144382866ND
2023-03-144437411ND
2023-03-144437441ND
2023-09-264532910ND