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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

City of Norfolk

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

96

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND100ND
2015ND170ND
2016ND170ND
2017ND180ND
2018ND170ND
2019ND170ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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

Date Lab ID Result
2014-05-19294408ND
2014-07-08309698ND
2014-08-25318958ND
2014-08-25318959ND
2014-08-25318960ND
2014-08-25318961ND
2014-12-01335661ND
2014-12-01335660ND
2014-12-01335663ND
2014-12-01335662ND
2015-02-23348703ND
2015-02-23348702ND
2015-02-23348701ND
2015-02-23348700ND
2015-06-08364942ND
2015-06-08364941ND
2015-06-08364940ND
2015-06-08364939ND
2015-08-03381425ND
2015-08-24378725ND
2015-08-24378724ND
2015-08-24378723ND
2015-08-24378722ND
2015-11-30399142ND
2015-11-30399141ND
2015-11-30399140ND
2015-11-30399139ND
2016-02-22ND
2016-02-22ND
2016-02-22ND
2016-02-22ND
2016-06-06ND
2016-06-06ND
2016-06-06ND
2016-06-06ND
2016-07-25ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-08-22ND
2016-11-28ND
2016-11-28ND
2016-11-28ND
2016-11-28ND
2017-02-27ND
2017-02-27ND
2017-02-27ND
2017-02-27ND
2017-06-05ND
2017-06-05ND
2017-06-05ND
2017-06-05ND
2017-06-12ND
2017-07-31ND
2017-08-28ND
2017-08-28ND
2017-08-28ND
2017-08-28ND
2017-11-27ND
2017-11-27ND
2017-11-27ND
2017-11-27ND
2018-02-26534052ND
2018-02-26534051ND
2018-02-26534050ND
2018-02-26534049ND
2018-05-29549771ND
2018-05-29549768ND
2018-05-29549769ND
2018-05-29549770ND
2018-07-30560134ND
2018-08-27568466ND
2018-08-27568465ND
2018-08-27568464ND
2018-08-27568463ND
2018-11-26583428ND
2018-11-26583429ND
2018-11-26583430ND
2018-11-26583431ND
2019-02-26595198ND
2019-02-26595199ND
2019-02-26595200ND
2019-02-26595201ND
2019-05-28605753ND
2019-05-28605755ND
2019-05-28605754ND
2019-05-28605752ND
2019-07-30621214ND
2019-08-26628211ND
2019-08-26628213ND
2019-08-26628212ND
2019-08-26628210ND
2019-12-02644932ND
2019-12-02644931ND
2019-12-02644930ND
2019-12-02644929ND