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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Avon Water Company

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

 

146

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
2014ND320ND
2015ND320ND
2016ND320ND
2017ND320ND
2018ND100ND
2019ND80ND

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
2014-01-16E402153-8VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-1VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-2VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-3VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-4VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-5VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-6VOCND
2014-02-04E402153-7VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-1VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-2VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-3VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-4VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-5VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-6VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-7VOCND
2014-05-14E405C29-8VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-1VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-2VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-3VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-4VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-5VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-6VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-7VOCND
2014-08-13E408C10-8VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-1VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-2VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-3VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-4VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-6VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-7VOCND
2014-11-21E411H72-8VOCND
2014-12-08E412718-2VOCND
2015-02-18E502D21-4VOCND
2015-02-19E502D21-2VOCND
2015-02-19E502D21-3VOCND
2015-02-19E502D21-6VOCND
2015-02-19E502D21-7VOCND
2015-02-19E502D21-8VOCND
2015-02-19E502D21-9VOCND
2015-02-20E502D21-1VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-1VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-2VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-3VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-4VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-5VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-6VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-7VOCND
2015-06-10E506B81-8VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-1VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-2VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-3VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-4VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-5VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-6VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-7VOCND
2015-08-28E508Y67-8VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-1VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-2VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-3VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-4VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-5VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-6VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-7VOCND
2015-11-24E511O25-8VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-1VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-2VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-3VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-4VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-5VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-6VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-7VOCND
2016-02-18E602H93-8VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-1VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-2VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-3VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-4VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-5VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-6VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-7VOCND
2016-05-19E605N95-8VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-1VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-2VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-3VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-4VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-5VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-6VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-7VOCND
2016-08-05E608889-8VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-1VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-2VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-3VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-4VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-5VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-6VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-7VOCND
2016-11-21E611M57-8VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-1VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-2VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-3VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-4VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-5VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-6VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-7VOCND
2017-02-24E702M07-8VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-01VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-02VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-03VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-04VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-05VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-06VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-07VOCND
2017-06-01D7F0171-08VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-01VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-02VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-03VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-04VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-05VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-06VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-07VOCND
2017-08-29D7H3264-08VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-02VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-03VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-04VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-05VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-06VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-07VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-08VOCND
2017-11-28D7K2247-01VOCRND
2018-03-05D8C0238-02VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-03VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-04VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-05VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-06VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-07VOCND
2018-03-05D8C0238-08VOCND
2018-04-25D8D2151-07VOCND
2018-07-26CA98747ND
2018-10-09VOC1 200508699ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519992ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519993ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519991ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519996ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519994ND
2019-01-29VOC1 200519995ND
2019-04-16VOC1 200528742ND
2019-08-13VOC1 200544842ND