Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Northampton Bucks County Municipal Authority

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

 

93

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND230ND
2015ND150ND
2016ND110ND
2017ND210ND
2018ND110ND
2019ND120ND

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
2014-02-25L4951922-1ND
2014-02-25L4951918-1ND
2014-05-20L4690565-1ND
2014-05-20L4799412-1ND
2014-07-17L5163463-2ND
2014-07-17L5163463-1ND
2014-07-17L5163463-13ND
2014-07-17L5163463-15ND
2014-07-17L5163463-14ND
2014-07-17L5163463-6ND
2014-07-17L5163463-12ND
2014-07-17L5163463-10ND
2014-07-17L5163463-11ND
2014-07-17L5163463-9ND
2014-07-17L5163463-8ND
2014-07-17L5163463-7ND
2014-07-17L5163463-4ND
2014-07-17L5163463-3ND
2014-07-17L5163463-5ND
2014-08-15L4460454-1ND
2014-08-15L4359849-1ND
2014-12-04L5352437-1ND
2014-12-04L5352436-1ND
2015-02-1012390423ND
2015-02-1012390477ND
2015-05-1112738479ND
2015-05-1112738425ND
2015-07-0913859368ND
2015-07-0913859314ND
2015-07-0913859422ND
2015-08-1913123821ND
2015-08-1913123875ND
2015-08-2813124396ND
2015-11-2013503523ND
2015-11-2013503577ND
2015-11-2013503469ND
2015-11-2013503415ND
2015-11-2013503361ND
2016-02-2313975150ND
2016-02-2313975097ND
2016-02-2313975044ND
2016-02-2313974991ND
2016-02-2313974938ND
2016-05-2414237898ND
2016-07-2114555709ND
2016-07-2114555761ND
2016-07-2114555657ND
2016-07-2114555605ND
2016-08-3014892501ND
2017-02-2715644165ND
2017-06-0716243954ND
2017-08-0116551917ND
2017-08-0116551969ND
2017-08-0116552073ND
2017-08-0116551761ND
2017-08-0116551813ND
2017-08-0116551865ND
2017-08-0116552021ND
2017-08-0116552125ND
2017-08-1716553151ND
2017-08-1716552995ND
2017-08-1716553255ND
2017-08-1716553047ND
2017-08-1716553099ND
2017-08-1716553203ND
2017-08-2416552811ND
2017-08-2416552863ND
2017-08-2416552707ND
2017-08-2416552915ND
2017-08-2416552759ND
2018-01-29L6996345-1ND
2018-05-228013250-02ND
2018-05-228013250-01ND
2018-07-238019104-04ND
2018-07-238019104-03ND
2018-07-238019104-02ND
2018-07-238019104-01ND
2018-08-278024440-05ND
2018-08-278024440-01ND
2018-11-208028289-05REND
2018-11-208028289-01ND
2019-02-269006185-05ND
2019-02-269006185-01ND
2019-04-299009352-01ND
2019-04-299010209-01ND
2019-04-299010209-04ND
2019-04-299010209-02ND
2019-04-299010209-03ND
2019-04-299009352-05ND
2019-07-179021348-01ND
2019-07-179021348-05ND
2019-10-089034544-05ND
2019-10-089034544-01ND