Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Hynes Estates Mutual Water Company

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.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND70ND

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
2018-01-04CA3000519_001_001-201801040900ND
2018-04-16CA3000519_001_001-201804161115ND
2018-07-03CA3000519_001_001-201807030935ND
2018-10-09CA3000519_001_001-201810091015ND
2019-01-08CA3000519_001_001-201901081130ND
2019-04-01CA3000519_001_001-201904010840ND
2019-07-01CA3000519_001_001-201907011000ND
2019-07-10CA3000519_005_005-201907101130ND
2019-08-22CA3000519_005_005-201908221035ND
2019-08-22CA3000519_005_005-201908221045ND
2019-10-02CA3000519_001_001-201910021000ND
2019-11-07CA3000519_005_005-201911071310ND
2020-02-04CA3000519_005_005-202002041035ND
2020-02-04CA3000519_001_001-202002041125ND
2020-05-05CA3000519_005_005-202005051010ND
2020-05-05CA3000519_001_001-202005051030ND
2020-07-07CA3000519_005_005-202007071000ND
2020-08-25CA3000519_001_001-202008250920ND
2020-11-17CA3000519_001_001-202011170900ND
2021-02-04CA3000519_005_005-202102041240ND
2021-02-04CA3000519_001_001-202102041225ND
2021-04-08CA3000519_005_005-202104081045ND
2021-05-03CA3000519_001_001-202105030805ND
2021-08-03CA3000519_005_005-202108031005ND
2021-09-08CA3000519_001_001-202109081005ND
2021-10-21CA3000519_005_005-202110211000ND
2021-10-21CA3000519_001_001-202110211020ND
2022-01-18CA3000519_005_005-202201180940ND
2022-02-17CA3000519_001_001-202202170930ND
2022-04-19CA3000519_001_001-202204191035ND
2022-04-19CA3000519_005_005-202204191050ND
2022-07-05CA3000519_001_001-202207050930ND
2022-07-05CA3000519_005_005-202207050940ND
2022-10-13CA3000519_001_001-202210130945ND
2022-10-13CA3000519_005_005-202210130930ND
2023-02-01CA3000519_001_001-202302011115ND
2023-02-01CA3000519_005_005-202302010915ND
2023-04-24CA3000519_001_001-202304240955ND
2023-04-24CA3000519_005_005-202304241030ND
2023-07-13CA3000519_001_001-202307131010ND
2023-07-13CA3000519_005_005-202307131025ND
2023-11-08CA3000519_005_005-202311080935ND