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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

City of Corona

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

 

122

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
2014ND250ND
2015ND230ND
2016ND200ND
2017ND180ND
2018ND180ND
2019ND180ND

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
2014-02-129590-021-0900ND
2014-02-129590-027-1020ND
2014-02-129590-028-1450ND
2014-02-129590-039-1100ND
2014-02-129590-052-1145ND
2014-02-129590-054-1355ND
2014-02-269590-030-0730ND
2014-03-129590-055-1120ND
2014-05-149590-024-1325ND
2014-05-149590-038-1035ND
2014-05-149590-043-0915ND
2014-05-159590-019-1155ND
2014-05-159590-022-0850ND
2014-05-159590-023-1005ND
2014-05-159590-034-1500ND
2014-08-139590-015-0930ND
2014-08-139590-031-1455ND
2014-08-139590-032-1100ND
2014-08-139590-033-1315ND
2014-08-219590-029-0900ND
2014-08-269590-003-1400ND
2014-08-279590-014-1315ND
2014-08-279590-056-1415ND
2014-08-289590-013-1030ND
2014-09-169590-054-1500ND
2015-02-039590-030-1000ND
2015-02-129590-027-0900ND
2015-02-129590-028-1420ND
2015-02-129590-030-0810ND
2015-02-129590-039-0950ND
2015-02-129590-052-1330ND
2015-05-289590-003-0940ND
2015-05-289590-019-1045ND
2015-05-289590-024-0930ND
2015-05-289590-034-0830ND
2015-05-289590-038-1000ND
2015-05-289590-043-1100ND
2015-06-099590-062-0815ND
2015-08-129590-029-0900ND
2015-08-129590-031-1020ND
2015-08-129590-032-1100ND
2015-08-129590-056-0940ND
2015-08-209590-013-0900ND
2015-08-209590-014-1430ND
2015-08-209590-015-1130ND
2015-08-209590-033-0950ND
2015-10-149590-023-0930ND
2015-10-149590-054-1330ND
2016-04-139590-027-0950ND
2016-04-139590-028-0800ND
2016-04-139590-030-0850ND
2016-04-219590-054-1340ND
2016-04-279590-062-1320ND
2016-07-209590-039-1045ND
2016-08-189590-003-1000ND
2016-08-189590-023-1050ND
2016-08-189590-038-1400ND
2016-08-239590-024-1430ND
2016-08-249590-019-1030ND
2016-08-249590-034-0900ND
2016-08-249590-043-1430ND
2016-10-119590-031-1530ND
2016-10-129590-032-1430ND
2016-10-209590-029-1400ND
2016-10-279590-014-0915ND
2016-10-279590-015-1020ND
2016-10-279590-033-1400ND
2016-10-279590-056-0840ND
2017-04-129590-030-1000ND
2017-04-129590-054-1400ND
2017-04-129590-062-1500ND
2017-04-209590-027-1400ND
2017-04-209590-038-0920ND
2017-04-209590-039-1500ND
2017-08-099590-019-1030ND
2017-08-099590-023-0945ND
2017-08-099590-024-1400ND
2017-08-099590-043-1530ND
2017-08-109590-034-1220ND
2017-10-129590-015-1500ND
2017-10-129590-031-0930ND
2017-10-129590-032-1030ND
2017-10-199590-014-1030ND
2017-10-199590-029-1500ND
2017-10-199590-056-1400ND
2017-10-269590-033-1000ND
2018-02-149590-030-1340ND
2018-02-149590-032-1445ND
2018-04-189590-039-1600ND
2018-04-269590-027-1230ND
2018-04-269590-038-1020ND
2018-06-279590-021-1500ND
2018-08-169590-024-1100ND
2018-08-169590-055-1400ND
2018-08-229590-019-1500ND
2018-08-229590-034-0900ND
2018-08-229590-043-1030ND
2018-10-109590-014-1410ND
2018-10-109590-029-1500ND
2018-10-109590-031-1100ND
2018-10-259590-033-1530ND
2018-10-259590-056-0930ND
2018-11-159590-071-1500ND
2018-12-119590-015-1120ND
2019-02-139590-029-1000ND
2019-02-139590-030-1300ND
2019-02-139590-031-1430ND
2019-02-139590-056-0900ND
2019-02-149590-032-1330ND
2019-04-249590-015-0910ND
2019-04-249590-021-1330ND
2019-05-229590-014-1030ND
2019-05-229590-033-0830ND
2019-05-229590-039-1530ND
2019-05-229590-055-1450ND
2019-05-239590-024-1130ND
2019-05-309590-027-1400ND
2019-09-269590-038-0810ND
2019-10-099590-019-1030ND
2019-10-099590-034-0718ND
2019-10-099590-043-0918ND
2019-10-099590-072-1150ND