Trichloroethylene (TCE) in Drinking Water
On this page:
What is TCE?
What are possible health concerns from contact with TCE?
What amount of TCE in water is safe?
How do I test my water for TCE?
What can I do if I have TCE in my drinking water?
Printable information sheet
Contact for more information
What is TCE?
TCE is…
- a colorless chemical with a slightly sweet odor.
- a common man-made chemical found in the environment.
- used in industry to remove grease from metal parts.
- found in household products – such as correction fluid, paint removers, parts cleaners, adhesives, and spot removers.
Because TCE moves from water to air easily, it is not usually found in surface soils or in open surface water. TCE spilled on the ground can move down through the soil and into water under the ground where it may pollute private and public drinking water wells. It can also move from water under the ground into rivers or lakes and then quickly move into the air.
TCE enters your body through drinking water with TCE in it (e.g.private wells from water that has TCE). It can also enters your body through breathing in TCE from the air when you bathe, shower, wash dishes, or do laundry.
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What are possible health concerns from contact with TCE ?
The information we have about the health effects from TCE comes from studies of animals and from studies of people in contact with high amounts of TCE in their work. People may come into contact with TCE by drinking water with TCE in it and breathing in TCE that moves into the air from water (e.g. taking a shower). Some of the possible health concerns are:
- An increased chance of cancer developing from contact with low levels of TCE over many years.
- Intoxication and behavior changes at very high levels of TCE for a short time (usually only seen in industrial accidents or intentional exposures).
- Harm to an unborn child if the pregnant mother consumes water with high TCE levels.
It is likely that the harmful health effects from TCE do not come from the TCE, but from other chemicals that are made when the body breaks down TCE. Some of the chemicals that break down in the body may be formed when a person is in contact with other chemicals like dry cleaning solvent.
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What amount of TCE in water is safe?
MDH now has a Health Risk Limit (HRL) for TCE of 5 parts per billion (ppb). A HRL is the amount of a chemical in drinking water that is safe for people to use every day for a lifetime. The number is based on a federal number used to regulate public drinking water. MDH will continue to follow and look at new TCE information as it becomes available from on-going research and scientific reviews.
Because of the possible harm to an unborn child, MDH recommends that pregnant women or women who may become pregnant limit their contact with TCE.
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How do I test my water for TCE?
Washington County is offering water testing for those living in the Well Advisory area. Information is on the Baytown Township website under Well Advisory.
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What can I do if I have TCE in my drinking water?
Your exposure to TCE can be reduced or removed by getting drinking water from a safe, reliable source like a public drinking water supply or by drilling a new well to ground water that does not have TCE in it.
If neither of these two options are available, a water filter system is recommended. Bottled water can be used for drinking and cooking until a filter system can be installed. Running a vent fan while bathing and showering will also limit your exposure to TCE.
An activated carbon filter is the best way to remove TCE from drinking water. There are two types of filters: those that filter water for one sink or appliance (e.g. a refrigerator) and those that can filter all the water that enters the home.
A whole-house filter allows all of the water coming into the home to be filtered, not just water from one sink or appliance. There are two benefits of a whole-house filter: 1) it stops people from having contact with TCE while bathing and, 2) it stops TCE from being breathed in when it evaporates from the water during other uses (e.g. washing dishes, flushing toilet). This type of system does cost more and can be difficult to install.
Both types of filters are available from water treatment/conditioning contractors, or home supply stores. When choosing a water treatment system, make sure to:
- Choose one that is certified to meet NSF/ANSI Standards 61 and 53 to ensure removal of TCE, avoid leaching of arsenic and other Volatile Organic Chemicals which may be in the water.
- Properly install, operate and maintain the system.
- Follow the manufacturer’s specifications.
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Printable information sheet: TCE in Drinking Water (PDF: 40KB/2 pages)
Contact for more information:
For more information, please contact us.
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