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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Trichloroethylene

Grafton Waterworks

Trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent and common groundwater pollutant, damages the immune system, harms the developing fetus and causes cancer. Read More.

Trichloroethylene was once commonly used to remove grease from metal parts, such as steel pipes and engines, and as a solvent in dry cleaning and carpet cleaning products. Drinking trichloroethylene-contaminated drinking water has been linked with birth defects, leukemia, and liver and kidney damage. Trichloroethylene is highly volatile and can enter indoor air through water in pipes. If trichloroethylene is present, people can inhale it while bathing, washing dishes and doing other household activities that involve water.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

152

Samples

24

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

89

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20141.96 ppb2416ND - 18.0 ppb
20153.36 ppb2617ND - 25.0 ppb
20162.16 ppb2416ND - 22.0 ppb
20172.98 ppb2416ND - 17.0 ppb
20183.74 ppb2416ND - 25.0 ppb
20193.73 ppb3018ND - 21.0 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.4 ppb for trichloroethylene was defined by the state of Minnesota as health risk limit, the concentration of a contaminant that can be consumed with little or no risk to health. This health guideline protects against harm to the developing fetus and damage to the immune system.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 5 ppb

The legal limit for trichloroethylene, 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 and harm to the developing fetus.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-03-10773674ND
2014-03-10773659ND
2014-03-107736710.350 ppb
2014-03-107736560.490 ppb
2014-03-107736680.520 ppb
2014-03-1077366718.0 ppb
2014-04-07778332ND
2014-04-07778326ND
2014-04-077783310.480 ppb
2014-04-077783290.720 ppb
2014-04-077783251.20 ppb
2014-07-29806739ND
2014-07-29806745ND
2014-07-298067420.670 ppb
2014-07-298067460.760 ppb
2014-07-298067380.930 ppb
2014-07-298067471.70 ppb
2014-07-298067442.80 ppb
2014-12-15835979ND
2014-12-15835985ND
2014-12-158359820.300 ppb
2014-12-158359780.350 ppb
2014-12-158359841.80 ppb
2014-12-1583598316.0 ppb
2015-03-04846466ND
2015-03-04846451ND
2015-03-048464610.210 ppb
2015-03-048464491.10 ppb
2015-03-048464642.10 ppb
2015-03-0484646313.0 ppb
2015-05-26861799ND
2015-05-26861793ND
2015-05-268617970.480 ppb
2015-05-268617921.10 ppb
2015-05-268617982.20 ppb
2015-05-2686179616.0 ppb
2015-09-08881969ND
2015-09-08881963ND
2015-09-088819621.10 ppb
2015-09-088819681.10 ppb
2015-09-098819670.480 ppb
2015-09-098819700.580 ppb
2015-09-098819711.10 ppb
2015-09-0988196620.0 ppb
2015-12-28899820ND
2015-12-28899813ND
2015-12-28899814ND
2015-12-288998180.480 ppb
2015-12-288998191.20 ppb
2015-12-2889981725.0 ppb
2016-03-16910611ND
2016-03-16910601ND
2016-03-169106070.540 ppb
2016-03-169105991.20 ppb
2016-03-169106091.30 ppb
2016-05-16921438ND
2016-05-16921432ND
2016-05-169214360.490 ppb
2016-05-169214310.960 ppb
2016-05-169214371.40 ppb
2016-05-1692143522.0 ppb
2016-08-31942867ND
2016-08-31942861ND
2016-08-319428650.550 ppb
2016-08-319428600.880 ppb
2016-09-019428690.640 ppb
2016-09-019428700.860 ppb
2016-09-019428663.00 ppb
2016-11-17960029ND
2016-11-17960023ND
2016-11-179600280.370 ppb
2016-11-179600270.420 ppb
2016-11-179600221.30 ppb
2016-11-1796002616.0 ppb
2017-03-15978080ND
2017-03-15978086ND
2017-03-159780831.60 ppb
2017-03-169780770.330 ppb
2017-03-169780733.50 ppb
2017-03-1697807617.0 ppb
2017-06-281001051ND
2017-06-281001048ND
2017-06-2810010430.490 ppb
2017-06-2810010500.530 ppb
2017-06-28100104710.00 ppb
2017-09-201019870ND
2017-09-201019869ND
2017-09-2010198680.360 ppb
2017-09-2010198630.440 ppb
2017-09-2010198710.650 ppb
2017-09-2010198721.30 ppb
2017-09-20101986717.0 ppb
2017-12-191034429ND
2017-12-191034423ND
2017-12-1910344270.500 ppb
2017-12-1910344221.000 ppb
2017-12-1910344283.80 ppb
2017-12-19103442613.0 ppb
2018-03-141045110ND
2018-03-141045104ND
2018-03-1410451080.610 ppb
2018-03-1410451091.30 ppb
2018-03-1410451031.50 ppb
2018-03-14104510725.0 ppb
2018-06-191062396ND
2018-06-191062390ND
2018-06-1910623940.600 ppb
2018-06-1910623891.40 ppb
2018-06-1910623951.90 ppb
2018-09-171080756ND
2018-09-171080753ND
2018-09-1710807521.10 ppb
2018-09-1710807585.30 ppb
2018-09-2610836080.410 ppb
2018-09-2610836105.80 ppb
2018-09-26108360919.0 ppb
2018-11-261094376ND
2018-11-261094370ND
2018-11-2610943690.780 ppb
2018-11-2710943740.440 ppb
2018-11-2710943751.60 ppb
2018-11-27109437323.0 ppb
2019-03-181110136ND
2019-03-181110128ND
2019-03-1811101340.340 ppb
2019-03-1811101320.410 ppb
2019-03-1811101307.30 ppb
2019-03-18111013121.0 ppb
2019-04-171116388ND
2019-06-171128507ND
2019-06-171128501ND
2019-06-171128503ND
2019-06-1711285050.540 ppb
2019-06-1711285060.620 ppb
2019-06-1711285026.80 ppb
2019-06-17112850420.0 ppb
2019-09-241151017ND
2019-09-241151011ND
2019-09-241151013ND
2019-09-2411510150.370 ppb
2019-09-2411510180.740 ppb
2019-09-2411510162.00 ppb
2019-09-2411510192.70 ppb
2019-09-2411510127.00 ppb
2019-09-24115101420.0 ppb
2019-12-101164883ND
2019-12-101164877ND
2019-12-101164879ND
2019-12-1011648810.380 ppb
2019-12-1011648820.790 ppb
2019-12-1011648782.80 ppb
2019-12-10116488018.0 ppb