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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

Horsham Water&sewer 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

 

106

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND230ND
2015ND240ND
2016ND220ND
2017ND160ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND130ND

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
2014-01-09AE19948ND
2014-01-09AE19956ND
2014-01-09AE19959ND
2014-01-24AE21287ND
2014-02-19AE24091ND
2014-02-19AE24093ND
2014-02-19AE24094ND
2014-02-19AE24099ND
2014-02-19AE24100ND
2014-02-20AE24092ND
2014-04-16AE29642ND
2014-04-16AE29643ND
2014-04-16AE29635ND
2014-04-16AE29638ND
2014-04-16AE29639ND
2014-07-23AE41288ND
2014-07-23AE41289ND
2014-08-13AE43999ND
2014-08-13AE44001ND
2014-08-13AE44009ND
2014-10-08AE51808ND
2014-10-09AE51797ND
2014-10-09AE51805ND
2015-01-1612286569ND
2015-01-1612286604ND
2015-01-1612286622ND
2015-03-0412514930ND
2015-03-0412514951ND
2015-03-0412514972ND
2015-03-0412514993ND
2015-03-0412515014ND
2015-03-0412515035ND
2015-03-0412515056ND
2015-03-0412515077ND
2015-03-0412515098ND
2015-04-1612632982ND
2015-04-1612633024ND
2015-04-1612633045ND
2015-04-2312633003ND
2015-07-1513012134ND
2015-07-1513012176ND
2015-07-1713012113ND
2015-07-1713012155ND
2015-10-1313388707ND
2015-10-1413388644ND
2015-10-1413388665ND
2015-10-1413388686ND
2016-01-1213752669ND
2016-01-1213752690ND
2016-01-1213752711ND
2016-02-1613869791ND
2016-03-1613985435ND
2016-03-1613985456ND
2016-03-1613985513ND
2016-03-1613985519ND
2016-03-1613985540ND
2016-03-1613985561ND
2016-03-1713985414ND
2016-03-1713985477ND
2016-04-2614102738ND
2016-05-1714250252ND
2016-05-1714250273ND
2016-05-1714250294ND
2016-07-1914569330ND
2016-07-1914569351ND
2016-07-1914569372ND
2016-10-2615075512ND
2016-10-2615075533ND
2016-10-2615075554ND
2017-01-0515517115ND
2017-01-0515517073ND
2017-01-2515517094ND
2017-02-1415655262ND
2017-02-1415655283ND
2017-02-1415655304ND
2017-02-1415655241ND
2017-03-3015795463ND
2017-04-0515936812ND
2017-04-0515936833ND
2017-04-0515936854ND
2017-04-1815936791ND
2017-08-0916565739ND
2017-08-1616565697ND
2017-08-1616565718ND
2017-10-1016880008ND
2018-01-30AF74814ND
2018-01-30AF74813ND
2018-02-13AF75932ND
2018-03-23AF79016ND
2018-06-22AF86999ND
2018-08-30AF94269ND
2018-10-03AF96985ND
2018-12-27AG04620ND
2019-02-11AG07771ND
2019-02-11AG07772ND
2019-02-11AG07773ND
2019-02-11AG07775ND
2019-02-27AG09179ND
2019-04-11AG13046ND
2019-04-11AG13047ND
2019-05-09AG16016ND
2019-05-09AG16019ND
2019-05-23AG16891ND
2019-08-21AG28299ND
2019-09-18AG31924ND
2019-09-18AG31925ND