Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Doney Park Water

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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND100ND
2019ND20ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND60ND
2022ND20ND
2023ND10ND

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
2018-04-17201804180311VND
2018-04-17201804180312VND
2018-04-17201804180313VND
2018-04-17201804180314VND
2018-04-17201804180310VND
2018-07-0518G0583-01ND
2018-08-28201808290304VND
2018-09-10201809110071VND
2018-09-1918I2083-01ND
2018-11-2718K2651-01ND
2019-05-15201905160094VND
2019-06-18201906190056VND
2020-05-28202005290008VND
2021-02-09202102100077VND
2021-02-09202102100078VND
2021-02-09202102100079VND
2021-02-09202102100080VND
2021-02-25202102260001VND
2021-04-06202104070100VND
2022-04-13202204140077VND
2022-04-13202204140078VND
2023-05-03380-45891-5ND