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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)

Compton Water Department

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

109

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

42

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.679 ppb178ND - 3.30 ppb
20150.591 ppb198ND - 3.20 ppb
20160.616 ppb198ND - 3.70 ppb
20170.333 ppb196ND - 2.30 ppb
20180.839 ppb187ND - 4.40 ppb
20190.269 ppb175ND - 1.10 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-01-139588-011-0956ND
2014-01-139588-013-1042ND
2014-01-139588-014-10201.40 ppb
2014-01-139588-019-11050.800 ppb
2014-01-139588-028-1118ND
2014-04-179588-011-1010ND
2014-04-179588-014-10541.60 ppb
2014-06-269588-019-11480.920 ppb
2014-07-299588-011-0906ND
2014-07-299588-014-10031.80 ppb
2014-07-299588-015-0933ND
2014-07-299588-019-09460.890 ppb
2014-10-319588-009-0934ND
2014-10-319588-011-0958ND
2014-10-319588-014-10193.30 ppb
2014-11-079588-015-1050ND
2014-11-079588-019-10180.830 ppb
2015-01-299588-009-0944ND
2015-01-299588-011-0959ND
2015-01-299588-013-1045ND
2015-01-299588-014-11033.20 ppb
2015-01-299588-019-10140.700 ppb
2015-01-299588-028-1127ND
2015-04-169588-009-1143ND
2015-04-169588-011-1039ND
2015-04-169588-014-10552.00 ppb
2015-04-169588-019-09400.740 ppb
2015-07-249588-009-1005ND
2015-07-249588-011-0934ND
2015-07-249588-014-13051.50 ppb
2015-07-249588-019-11070.680 ppb
2015-10-229588-009-1112ND
2015-10-229588-011-1028ND
2015-10-229588-014-09511.60 ppb
2015-10-229588-015-1010ND
2015-10-229588-019-09380.810 ppb
2016-01-279588-009-1013ND
2016-01-279588-011-0943ND
2016-01-279588-013-0958ND
2016-01-279588-014-11252.40 ppb
2016-01-279588-019-10570.710 ppb
2016-01-279588-028-1107ND
2016-04-289588-009-1015ND
2016-04-289588-011-1030ND
2016-04-289588-014-11201.20 ppb
2016-04-289588-019-11100.600 ppb
2016-07-159588-009-0948ND
2016-07-159588-011-1057ND
2016-07-159588-014-10363.70 ppb
2016-07-159588-019-10480.710 ppb
2016-10-059588-009-1045ND
2016-10-059588-011-1222ND
2016-10-059588-014-12020.980 ppb
2016-10-059588-015-1103ND
2016-10-059588-019-11251.40 ppb
2017-01-249588-009-0950ND
2017-01-249588-011-1015ND
2017-01-249588-013-1000ND
2017-01-249588-014-11100.710 ppb
2017-01-249588-019-10430.780 ppb
2017-01-249588-028-1055ND
2017-04-269588-011-1015ND
2017-04-269588-014-11202.30 ppb
2017-04-269588-019-10350.910 ppb
2017-04-269588-028-1145ND
2017-05-239588-009-0940ND
2017-07-189588-009-1017ND
2017-07-189588-011-0950ND
2017-07-189588-019-10350.820 ppb
2017-10-059588-011-1140ND
2017-10-059588-015-1045ND
2017-10-059588-019-10200.800 ppb
2017-10-059588-028-1000ND
2017-12-119588-009-1032ND
2018-01-099588-009-1041ND
2018-01-099588-013-1049ND
2018-01-099588-019-10011.000 ppb
2018-01-099588-028-0934ND
2018-04-129588-009-1005ND
2018-04-129588-013-1015ND
2018-04-129588-019-11100.800 ppb
2018-06-289588-011-1035ND
2018-06-289588-014-10154.30 ppb
2018-07-239588-009-1110ND
2018-07-239588-011-1035ND
2018-07-239588-019-09551.20 ppb
2018-09-279588-014-10141.90 ppb
2018-10-259588-009-1047ND
2018-10-259588-019-11251.50 ppb
2018-12-199588-011-1035ND
2018-12-199588-014-10004.40 ppb
2018-12-199588-015-1130ND
2019-01-309588-009-1125ND
2019-01-309588-011-1140ND
2019-01-309588-019-09451.10 ppb
2019-01-309588-028-10050.750 ppb
2019-04-259588-009-1105ND
2019-04-259588-011-1120ND
2019-04-259588-019-10130.960 ppb
2019-04-259588-028-0935ND
2019-07-179588-009-1015ND
2019-07-179588-011-1005ND
2019-07-179588-019-09300.940 ppb
2019-07-179588-028-0940ND
2019-10-189588-009-1105ND
2019-10-189588-011-0955ND
2019-10-189588-015-1040ND
2019-10-189588-019-10150.820 ppb
2019-11-209588-013-1015ND