Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Brent Utilities Board

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.

 

47

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND60ND
2020ND90ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND100ND
2023ND100ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-01-291801290007-1ND
2018-04-30810430018-1ND
2018-09-2418090637-001AND
2018-10-3018100645-001AND
2019-01-2219010559-001AND
2019-04-2619040700-001AND
2019-07-2620114440001_IVOCND
2019-07-2620114443001_IVOCND
2019-10-0420124548001_IVOCND
2019-10-0420124549001_IVOCND
2020-03-0920145687004_IVOCND
2020-03-0920145687003_IVOCND
2020-03-0920145687002_IVOCND
2020-03-0920145687001_IVOCND
2020-05-1920155148001_IVOCND
2020-05-1920155148002_IVOCND
2020-07-0720161416002_IVOCND
2020-10-2720177359001_IVOCND
2020-10-2720177359002_IVOCND
2021-02-2535614541001_IVOCND
2021-02-2535614541002_IVOCND
2021-04-1935626991001_IVOCND
2021-04-1935626998001_IVOCND
2021-07-2735650493001ND
2021-07-2735650493002ND
2021-10-2235672325001_IVOCND
2021-10-2235672329001_IVOCND
2022-03-1035702618001_IVOCND
2022-03-1035703015002_IVOCND
2022-05-2335719603001_IVOCND
2022-05-2335719603002_IVOCND
2022-06-1335724366001_IVOCND
2022-06-1335724366002_IVOCND
2022-08-2635742678001_IVOCND
2022-08-2635742678002_IVOCND
2022-10-2435755187001_IVOCND
2022-10-2435755187002_IVOCND
2023-01-2435774467001_IVOCND
2023-01-2435774467002_IVOCND
2023-01-2435774467003_IVOCND
2023-01-2435774467004_IVOCND
2023-05-1935800886001_IVOCND
2023-05-1935800886002_IVOCND
2023-07-3135816711001_IVOCND
2023-07-3135816711002_IVOCND
2023-10-2035836003001_IVOCND
2023-10-2035836003002_IVOCND