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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Redlands City

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

 

72

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
2014ND180ND
2015ND60ND
2016ND20ND
2017ND220ND
2018ND30ND
2019ND210ND

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
2014-03-069590-031-0935ND
2014-05-229590-010-0930ND
2014-05-224790-069-1040ND
2014-05-224790-017-0930ND
2014-05-224790-021-1005ND
2014-05-224790-003-1030ND
2014-06-129590-062-1010ND
2014-07-039590-029-0920ND
2014-07-039590-053-1020ND
2014-07-249590-019-1055ND
2014-08-079590-070-1250ND
2014-08-079590-054-0840ND
2014-08-079590-002-1030ND
2014-10-029590-060-0840ND
2014-10-029590-008-1000ND
2014-10-309590-005-1105ND
2014-11-259590-005-1025ND
2014-12-169590-055-1115ND
2015-01-089590-025-1850ND
2015-01-089590-022-0945ND
2015-03-129590-005-0900ND
2015-05-219590-026-1120ND
2015-06-049590-005-0905ND
2015-10-089590-005-0900ND
2016-05-129590-026-0915ND
2016-09-225810-005-0930ND
2017-03-235810-019-0855ND
2017-03-235810-010-1115ND
2017-03-235810-009-1030ND
2017-03-235810-008-0925ND
2017-03-305810-005-0855ND
2017-03-305810-060-1130ND
2017-03-305810-053-1020ND
2017-03-315810-005-0835ND
2017-05-035810-062-1020ND
2017-05-185810-029-1110ND
2017-05-185810-070-1030ND
2017-05-185810-069-1045ND
2017-05-185810-055-1055ND
2017-05-185810-054-1000ND
2017-05-185810-017-0945ND
2017-05-185810-021-1035ND
2017-05-245810-022-0940ND
2017-05-245810-003-1100ND
2017-05-245810-025-1000ND
2017-06-155810-031-0930ND
2017-08-315810-003-0935ND
2017-12-085810-002-1000ND
2018-04-055810-026-0940ND
2018-06-295810-005-1015ND
2018-12-204790-005-0855ND
2019-01-244790-025-0910ND
2019-01-244790-022-0845ND
2019-06-204790-035-0930ND
2019-06-274790-070-1325ND
2019-06-274790-069-0945ND
2019-06-274790-003-0845ND
2019-08-194790-062-0950ND
2019-08-194790-008-1100ND
2019-08-214790-021-1140ND
2019-08-224790-019-1050ND
2019-08-274790-060-1230ND
2019-08-274790-055-0800ND
2019-08-274790-053-1350ND
2019-08-284790-017-1330ND
2019-08-294790-029-0945ND
2019-09-104790-010-0930ND
2019-09-174790-031-0930ND
2019-09-194790-025-0915ND
2019-09-194790-026-1020ND
2019-09-304790-012-1320ND
2019-09-304790-022-0910ND