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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Yadkinville, Town of

Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen used for production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Discharges from plastics manufacturing can contaminate drinking water with vinyl chloride. Read More.

Exposure to vinyl chloride increases the risk of cancer and can damage the liver and nervous system. The California public health goal of 0.05 parts per billion, set to protect against cancer, is 40 times lower than the amount allowed by the federal government, which is a Maximum Contaminant Level of 2 parts per billion.

Plastic pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated PVC (CPVC) are widely used for drinking water distribution lines and internal plumbing, raising concern about vinyl chloride contamination of drinking water. A study published in 2011 by Ryan Walter of Cornell University School of Civil and Environmental Engineering suggested that small amounts of vinyl chloride can leach from PVC pipes. Vinyl chloride can also form in the pipes as a result of water disinfection with chlorine.

In an assessment completed in 2000, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment stated that drinking water is not a significant source of exposure to vinyl chloride for the general population.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

28

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND30ND
2015ND50ND
2016ND50ND
2017ND50ND
2018ND50ND
2019ND50ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.05 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.05 ppb for vinyl 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) 2 ppb

The legal limit for vinyl chloride, established in 1987, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set. This limit may not fully protect against the risk of cancer due to vinyl chloride exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-04-17C405035-02ND
2014-08-2192214421001VOCND
2014-11-2092226601001VOCND
2015-02-12ND
2015-04-09ND
2015-05-21ND
2015-08-27ND
2015-12-03ND
2016-03-0392288632001VOCND
2016-05-1292297456001VOCND
2016-08-2492310229001VOCND
2016-10-0692315212003VOCND
2016-11-1092319293003VOCND
2017-02-1692330326001VOCND
2017-04-0692336292005VOCND
2017-05-1192340219001VOCND
2017-08-1792351977002VOCND
2017-11-1692363793001VOCND
2018-02-0892372538001VOC ND
2018-04-0592379790004VOC ND
2018-05-3192386687001VOC ND
2018-08-2392396902001VOC ND
2018-11-0892406563001VOC ND
2019-02-1492417751001_1271ND
2019-05-3092431146001_1271ND
2019-08-2292442598001_1271ND
2019-10-1092449202001_1271ND
2019-11-1492453830001_1271ND