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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

City of Pocatello

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

 

65

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND80ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND160ND
2017ND80ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND160ND

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
2014-04-30VI40413001ND
2014-09-09VI40907907ND
2014-09-09VI40907906ND
2014-09-09VI40907905ND
2014-09-09VI40907904ND
2014-09-09VI40907903ND
2014-09-09VI40907902ND
2014-09-09VI40907901ND
2015-09-10VI50906301ND
2015-09-10VI50906302ND
2015-09-10VI50906303ND
2015-09-10VI50906304ND
2015-09-10VI50906402ND
2015-09-10VI50906403ND
2015-09-10VI50906404ND
2015-09-10VI50906401ND
2016-10-17VI61012210ND
2016-10-17VI61012201ND
2016-10-17VI61012202ND
2016-10-17VI61012203ND
2016-10-17VI61012204ND
2016-10-17VI61012205ND
2016-10-17VI61012206ND
2016-10-17VI61012207ND
2016-10-17VI61012208ND
2016-10-17VI61012209ND
2016-10-17VI61012211ND
2016-10-17VI61012212ND
2016-10-17VI61012213ND
2016-10-17VI61012215ND
2016-10-17VI61012216ND
2016-10-18VI61013201ND
2017-10-04VI71004906ND
2017-10-04VI71004905ND
2017-10-04VI71004904ND
2017-10-04VI71004903ND
2017-10-04VI71004902ND
2017-10-05VI71004908ND
2017-10-05VI71004907ND
2017-10-05VI71004901ND
2018-05-02VI80502301ND
2018-09-26VI80927601ND
2018-09-26VI80927602ND
2018-09-26VI80927603ND
2018-09-26VI80927604ND
2018-09-26VI80927606ND
2018-09-26VI80927607ND
2018-09-26VI80927608ND
2018-09-26VI80927605ND
2019-10-08VI91008802ND
2019-10-08VI91008803ND
2019-10-08VI91008804ND
2019-10-08VI91008805ND
2019-10-08VI91008806ND
2019-10-08VI91008807ND
2019-10-08VI91008808ND
2019-10-08VI91009201ND
2019-10-08VI91009202ND
2019-10-08VI91009203ND
2019-10-08VI91009204ND
2019-10-08VI91009205ND
2019-10-08VI91009206ND
2019-10-08VI91009207ND
2019-10-08VI91009208ND
2019-10-08VI91008801ND