Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

CTWC - Unionville System

NOTE: CTWC - Unionville System purchases water from Metropolitan District Commission which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by Metropolitan District Commission.

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.

 

19

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND70ND
2019ND120ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND60ND
2023ND30ND

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: CTWC - Unionville System purchases water from Metropolitan District Commission which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by Metropolitan District Commission.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-06-27CA79476ND
2018-06-27CA79477ND
2018-06-27CA79475ND
2018-09-25CB38504ND
2018-09-25CB38505RND
2018-09-25CB38869ND
2018-09-25CB38505ND
2020-12-08SOC 200600638ND
2020-12-08SOC 200600609ND
2020-12-09SOC 200600592ND
2021-11-23S300107511 300107513ND
2021-11-23S300107593 300107596ND
2021-11-29S300109627 300109629ND
2022-12-15S300287039 300287044ND
2022-12-15S300287062 300287065ND
2022-12-15S300287090 300287093ND
2023-12-05S300456329 300456332ND
2023-12-06S300456308 300456311ND
2023-12-06S300456298 300456301ND