Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Vinyl chloride

Palmdale Water District

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

 

104

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND240ND
2015ND240ND
2016ND240ND
2017ND20ND
2018ND50ND
2019ND250ND

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
2014-02-059590-003-1030ND
2014-02-059590-004-1045ND
2014-02-059590-007-1130ND
2014-02-059590-008-1000ND
2014-02-059590-009-1015ND
2014-02-059590-011-1110ND
2014-02-059590-014-0905ND
2014-02-059590-016-0955ND
2014-02-059590-018-1125ND
2014-02-059590-019-1135ND
2014-02-059590-021-1005ND
2014-02-059590-022-1030ND
2014-02-059590-025-1045ND
2014-02-059590-026-1055ND
2014-02-059590-027-0900ND
2014-02-059590-028-1015ND
2014-02-059590-029-0930ND
2014-02-059590-032-0945ND
2014-02-059590-033-0930ND
2014-02-059590-059-0915ND
2014-02-119590-012-1010ND
2014-02-119590-015-1000ND
2014-04-179590-001-0800ND
2014-05-089590-030-0800ND
2015-02-039590-018-0700ND
2015-02-039590-019-0710ND
2015-02-049590-003-1105ND
2015-02-049590-004-0830ND
2015-02-049590-007-0920ND
2015-02-049590-008-1025ND
2015-02-049590-009-1050ND
2015-02-049590-011-1125ND
2015-02-049590-012-0935ND
2015-02-049590-014-0955ND
2015-02-049590-015-0910ND
2015-02-049590-016-0905ND
2015-02-049590-021-0920ND
2015-02-049590-022-1105ND
2015-02-049590-025-1000ND
2015-02-049590-026-1015ND
2015-02-049590-027-1120ND
2015-02-049590-028-0940ND
2015-02-049590-029-0845ND
2015-02-049590-032-0850ND
2015-02-049590-033-1045ND
2015-02-049590-059-1030ND
2015-02-129590-030-1115ND
2015-02-179590-001-0730ND
2016-01-199590-016-1015ND
2016-01-199590-018-0910ND
2016-01-199590-019-0920ND
2016-01-199590-032-1130ND
2016-01-199590-033-1025ND
2016-01-209590-003-0730ND
2016-01-209590-004-0720ND
2016-01-209590-008-0810ND
2016-01-209590-009-0750ND
2016-01-209590-012-0750ND
2016-01-209590-014-0735ND
2016-01-209590-029-0820ND
2016-01-219590-007-0930ND
2016-01-219590-011-0820ND
2016-01-219590-021-0800ND
2016-01-219590-025-0720ND
2016-01-219590-027-1015ND
2016-01-219590-028-0900ND
2016-01-219590-059-0740ND
2016-02-249590-026-1000ND
2016-03-179590-001-0800ND
2016-03-179590-030-0800ND
2016-03-249590-015-1015ND
2016-05-199590-022-0830ND
2017-01-269590-001-0800ND
2017-01-269590-030-0800ND
2018-02-149590-001-0930ND
2018-02-149590-030-0800ND
2018-08-022920-030-0800ND
2018-08-029590-030-0800ND
2018-11-089590-030-1100ND
2019-01-239590-012-0920ND
2019-01-239590-015-0945ND
2019-01-249590-007-0925ND
2019-01-249590-014-0950ND
2019-02-079590-003-1020ND
2019-02-079590-004-1050ND
2019-02-079590-009-0950ND
2019-02-079590-029-0920ND
2019-02-139590-022-0815ND
2019-02-139590-026-0925ND
2019-02-139590-033-0750ND
2019-02-139590-059-0840ND
2019-02-149590-008-0850ND
2019-02-149590-011-0920ND
2019-02-219590-016-1100ND
2019-02-219590-027-1140ND
2019-02-219590-032-1040ND
2019-03-279590-018-0915ND
2019-03-279590-019-0935ND
2019-03-279590-021-0810ND
2019-03-279590-028-0845ND
2019-05-099590-030-0800ND
2019-08-089590-030-0820ND
2019-11-079590-030-0800ND
2019-11-149590-025-1035ND