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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

City of Porterville

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
2014ND410ND
2015ND90ND
2016ND90ND
2017ND420ND
2018ND120ND
2019ND90ND

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
2014-02-051653-079-0917ND
2014-02-051653-086-0829ND
2014-03-241653-005-1415ND
2014-03-241653-008-1335ND
2014-03-241653-013-1305ND
2014-03-241653-018-1400ND
2014-03-241653-019-1235ND
2014-03-241653-020-1010ND
2014-03-241653-021-1130ND
2014-03-241653-033-0945ND
2014-03-241653-039-1030ND
2014-03-241653-056-1105ND
2014-03-271653-003-1350ND
2014-03-271653-022-1125ND
2014-03-271653-049-1005ND
2014-03-271653-079-1225ND
2014-03-271653-082-1325ND
2014-03-271653-086-1255ND
2014-03-271653-088-1055ND
2014-03-271653-096-0940ND
2014-05-131653-014-1210ND
2014-05-131653-026-1255ND
2014-05-131653-037-1330ND
2014-05-131653-090-1000ND
2014-05-131653-092-1055ND
2014-05-131653-096-1028ND
2014-05-141653-010-1033ND
2014-05-141653-024-1237ND
2014-05-141653-025-0958ND
2014-05-141653-032-1339ND
2014-05-141653-054-0926ND
2014-05-151653-006-1100ND
2014-05-151653-009-1205ND
2014-05-151653-023-0935ND
2014-05-151653-040-1315ND
2014-05-281653-079-0841ND
2014-05-281653-086-0823ND
2014-08-121653-079-1228ND
2014-08-121653-086-1256ND
2014-11-051653-079-0841ND
2014-11-051653-086-0817ND
2015-02-101653-079-0957ND
2015-02-101653-086-0839ND
2015-05-121653-079-0924ND
2015-05-121653-086-0859ND
2015-08-111653-079-0926ND
2015-08-111653-086-0903ND
2015-11-171653-079-0953ND
2015-11-171653-086-0906ND
2015-12-091653-100-0915ND
2016-02-091653-079-1348ND
2016-02-091653-086-1414ND
2016-03-111653-098-0916ND
2016-05-111653-079-1417ND
2016-05-111653-086-1339ND
2016-08-161653-079-0938ND
2016-08-161653-086-0959ND
2016-11-081653-079-1334ND
2016-11-081653-086-1021ND
2017-02-141653-079-0958ND
2017-02-141653-086-1043ND
2017-03-151653-003-1426ND
2017-03-151653-005-1404ND
2017-03-151653-008-1449ND
2017-03-151653-019-0920ND
2017-03-151653-020-0827ND
2017-03-151653-021-0943ND
2017-03-151653-022-1344ND
2017-03-151653-039-0851ND
2017-03-151653-049-1034ND
2017-03-151653-082-1327ND
2017-03-151653-086-1158ND
2017-03-151653-096-1009ND
2017-03-161653-013-1225ND
2017-03-161653-018-1154ND
2017-03-161653-024-1020ND
2017-03-161653-025-1059ND
2017-03-161653-033-1413ND
2017-03-161653-056-1341ND
2017-03-161653-079-1303ND
2017-03-161653-088-0938ND
2017-03-161653-098-0917ND
2017-03-161653-100-1454ND
2017-03-205867-100-0815ND
2017-05-101653-006-1345ND
2017-05-101653-009-0926ND
2017-05-101653-010-1204ND
2017-05-101653-014-0958ND
2017-05-101653-023-1027ND
2017-05-101653-026-0841ND
2017-05-101653-032-1136ND
2017-05-101653-054-1446ND
2017-05-101653-090-1103ND
2017-05-101653-092-0859ND
2017-05-111653-040-1257ND
2017-05-161653-079-1136ND
2017-05-161653-086-1031ND
2017-08-221653-079-1012ND
2017-08-221653-086-1037ND
2017-11-151653-079-1058ND
2017-11-151653-086-1033ND
2018-02-131653-079-0956ND
2018-02-131653-086-1018ND
2018-02-141653-098-1408ND
2018-02-141653-100-1431ND
2018-03-071653-098-1112ND
2018-03-071653-100-1036ND
2018-05-161653-079-1113ND
2018-05-161653-086-1356ND
2018-08-141653-079-1458ND
2018-08-141653-086-1031ND
2018-11-021653-079-1443ND
2018-11-021653-086-1427ND
2019-02-251653-079-1406ND
2019-02-251653-086-1433ND
2019-02-281653-098-1044ND
2019-02-281653-100-0821ND
2019-05-211653-079-1117ND
2019-05-211653-086-1416ND
2019-08-201653-079-1058ND
2019-11-191653-079-1321ND
2019-11-191653-086-1410ND