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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Elsinore Valley Municipal 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

 

52

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014N/A00N/A
2015ND70ND
2016ND140ND
2017ND10ND
2018ND70ND
2019ND230ND

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
2015-04-064790-007-1505ND
2015-04-224790-042-1310ND
2015-04-224790-007-1305ND
2015-04-234790-007-1105ND
2015-04-234790-042-1110ND
2015-05-074790-038-1350ND
2015-10-014790-007-1000ND
2016-01-064790-007-0950ND
2016-02-034790-050-1130ND
2016-02-034790-049-1315ND
2016-04-064790-007-1044ND
2016-05-264790-052-1030ND
2016-08-114790-010-1110ND
2016-08-114790-037-1220ND
2016-08-174790-022-1320ND
2016-08-174790-012-1240ND
2016-08-174790-031-1150ND
2016-08-254790-007-1040ND
2016-08-254790-004-1505ND
2016-08-254790-053-0910ND
2016-11-174790-038-1500ND
2017-04-289590-002-1310ND
2018-06-074790-002-1128ND
2018-07-184790-021-1055ND
2018-07-264790-050-1348ND
2018-07-264790-049-1328ND
2018-12-064790-050-1640ND
2018-12-064790-049-1409ND
2018-12-124790-004-1410ND
2019-01-094790-012-1350ND
2019-01-114790-050-1030ND
2019-01-114790-049-1042ND
2019-01-244790-053-0900ND
2019-03-274790-038-1008ND
2019-06-074790-052-1045ND
2019-06-114790-053-1110ND
2019-06-134790-012-0938ND
2019-06-184790-037-1128ND
2019-06-204790-031-1112ND
2019-06-254790-049-1200ND
2019-06-254790-050-1230ND
2019-06-254790-021-1245ND
2019-06-254790-022-1148ND
2019-08-194790-002-1345ND
2019-08-204790-049-1055ND
2019-09-054790-007-1110ND
2019-09-124790-038-1250ND
2019-11-124790-004-1255ND
2019-12-174790-010-1306ND
2019-12-184790-049-1120ND
2019-12-184790-010-1306ND
2019-12-184790-050-1145ND