Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission

NOTE: East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission purchases water from New London Department of Public Utilities which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by New London Department of Public Utilities.

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.

 

4

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND30ND
2023ND20ND

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

NOTE: East Lyme Water & Sewer Commission purchases water from New London Department of Public Utilities which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by New London Department of Public Utilities.

Date Lab ID Result
2019-06-0629562SOC2ND
2019-09-2330083SOC2ND
2022-07-1336104SOC2ND
2022-10-0636622SOC2ND