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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Town of Payson

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

64

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND60ND
2015ND60ND
2016ND270ND
2017ND70ND
2018ND110ND
2019ND70ND

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
2014-02-11550-19477-5ND
2014-10-27550-34133-5ND
2014-10-27550-34133-4ND
2014-10-27550-34133-3ND
2014-10-27550-34133-2ND
2014-10-27550-34133-1ND
2015-09-29201509300285VND
2015-09-29201509300281VND
2015-09-29201509300282VND
2015-09-29201509300283VND
2015-09-29201509300284VND
2015-09-29201509300286VND
2016-10-24201610250338VND
2016-10-24201610250333VND
2016-10-24201610250334VND
2016-10-24201610250335VND
2016-10-24201610250336VND
2016-10-24201610250337VND
2016-10-24201610250339VND
2016-10-24201610250340VND
2016-10-24201610250341VND
2016-10-25201610260516VND
2016-10-25201610260515VND
2016-10-25201610260514VND
2016-10-25201610260513VND
2016-10-25201610260512VND
2016-10-25201610260511VND
2016-10-25201610260510VND
2016-10-25201610260509VND
2016-10-25201610260508VND
2016-10-26201610270329VND
2016-10-26201610270330VND
2016-10-26201610270328VND
2016-10-26201610270327VND
2016-10-26201610270326VND
2016-10-26201610270325VND
2016-10-26201610270324VND
2016-10-26201610270323VND
2016-10-26201610270322VND
2017-10-24201710250594VND
2017-10-24201710250593VND
2017-10-24201710250592VND
2017-10-24201710250591VND
2017-10-24201710250590VND
2017-10-24201710250589VND
2017-10-24201710250588VND
2018-02-20550-98271-1ND
2018-02-20550-98271-2ND
2018-05-08550-102632-2ND
2018-05-08550-102632-1ND
2018-08-21550-108420-7ND
2018-08-21550-108420-6ND
2018-08-21550-108420-3ND
2018-08-21550-108420-2ND
2018-08-21550-108420-1ND
2018-11-19550-113655-2ND
2018-11-19550-113655-01ND
2019-02-13550-118035-1ND
2019-10-30201910310694VND
2019-10-30201910310695VND
2019-10-30201910310696VND
2019-10-30201910310697VND
2019-10-30201910310698VND
2019-10-30201910310693VND