Health Indicator Report of Drinking Water: TCE (Trichloroethene)

People drink and use water every day. The majority of Americans are provided with high quality drinking water. About 90% of people in the U.S. get their water from a community water system versus a smaller water supply, such as a household well. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets regulations for treating and monitoring drinking water delivered by community water systems. Currently, there are water quality standards and monitoring requirements for over 90 contaminants. Drinking water protection programs play a critical role in ensuring high quality drinking water and protecting the public's health. Because people drink and use water every day, contaminants in drinking water have the potential to affect many people. The number of people served by a community water system varies from as low as 25 to hundreds of thousands. Community water systems in the U.S. provide among the highest quality drinking water in the world. However, some contaminants are present at low levels, and it is still possible that drinking water can become contaminated at higher levels. If a person is exposed to a high enough level of a contaminant, they may become ill. Trichloroethene (TCE) is a volatile halogenated short-chain hydrocarbon. TCE is used primarily as an industrial degreaser, solvent, and in the synthesis of other chemicals. In the past, it was used in dry cleaning, food processing, household cleaners, and as a general anesthetic. TCE is produced and used in high volumes in the U.S. and has been detected in urban and ambient air and occasionally soils and drinking water most likely contaminated by industrial discharge (Moran et al., 2007; Rowe et al., 2007). Because of its volatility, this solvent does not persist in the soil or water following the discontinuation of contamination. (From the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network [NEPHTN] Nationally Consistent Data and Measures [NCDM] TCE indicator document, version 5) TCE does not occur naturally in the environment. However, it has been found in underground water sources and many surface waters as a result of the manufacture, use, and disposal of the chemical. Drinking or breathing high levels of TCE may cause nervous system effects, liver and lung damage, abnormal heartbeat, coma, and possibly death (ATSDR, 2003). Inhalation is the most common exposure route for the general population including indoor sources from paints, adhesives, and cleaning solutions. Volatilization from contaminated water (e.g., shower water) as well as the use of household products containing this solvent can result in higher indoor air concentrations than outdoor (ATSDR, 1997b; Martin et al., 2005). (Modified from the NEPHTN NCDM TCE indicator document, version 5)