Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Avon Water Company

PCBs are synthetic chemicals banned in the U.S. since the 1970s because of their toxicity. PCBs contaminate water by leaching from landfills and hazardous waste clean-up sites. PCBs increase the risk of cancer. Read More.

Up until the late 1970s, PCBs were used widely as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment. Currently, PCBs are widely detected in the general population. They build up and are stored in fatty tissues and fluids such as breast milk, and can be passed on to fetuses and infants during pregnancy and breast-feeding. In human epidemiological studies, PCBs have been associated with an elevated risk of breast and prostate cancers. Infants and children with higher PCB exposures during development score lower on measures of neurological function, ranging from decreased IQ scores to� reduced hearing sensitivity. PCBs also affect hormones and damage the immune system.

 

23

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND80ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND40ND
2023N/A00N/A

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.09 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.09 ppb for PCBs 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): 0.5 ppb

The legal limit for PCBs, established in 1991, 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 PCB exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-03-05D8C0238-03SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-04SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-05SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-06SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-07SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-08SOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-01SOCRND
2018-03-05D8C0238-02SOCND
2018-04-25D8D2151-06SOCND
2018-07-26CA98747ND
2018-10-09SOC 200508699ND
2019-03-12SOC 200524505ND
2019-03-12200524505-SOCND
2019-05-20SOC 200533253ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533254ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533255ND
2019-05-20SOC 200533256ND
2019-05-21SOC 200533252ND
2019-10-09SOC 200552472ND
2022-03-24CK96360ND
2022-04-08CL06143ND
2022-05-06CL27001ND
2022-07-22CL89161ND