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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

CTWC - Shoreline Region-Guilford System

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

 

67

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND130ND
2015ND120ND
2016ND110ND
2017ND100ND
2018ND110ND
2019ND100ND

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
2014-01-29140130CWCBVOC1ND
2014-02-242223VOC1ND
2014-03-052672VOC1ND
2014-04-215353VOC1ND
2014-04-215354VOC1ND
2014-06-128366VOC1ND
2014-06-128367VOC1ND
2014-06-128370VOC1ND
2014-08-13140915-0128VOC1ND
2014-08-13140915-0129VOC1ND
2014-08-13BG93593VOC1ND
2014-08-13BG93595VOC1ND
2014-11-03BH35439VOC1ND
2015-01-21BH65787VOC1ND
2015-02-12BH73177VOC1ND
2015-03-09BH80664VOC1ND
2015-06-02BJ24602VOC1ND
2015-06-02BJ24617VOC1ND
2015-06-02BJ24619VOC1ND
2015-06-02BJ24597VOC1ND
2015-06-03BJ25404VOC1ND
2015-07-27BJ63977VOC1ND
2015-07-27BJ63961VOC1ND
2015-10-19BK10284VOC1ND
2015-11-03BK17717VOC1ND
2016-01-11BK50864VOC1ND
2016-01-19BK54776VOC1ND
2016-01-19BK54777VOC1ND
2016-02-11BK64351VOC1ND
2016-03-14BK78125VOC1ND
2016-04-11BN11374VOC1ND
2016-04-11BN11376VOC1ND
2016-06-01BN44876VOC1ND
2016-06-01BN44892VOC1ND
2016-07-12BN71476VOC1ND
2016-07-13BN72282VOC1ND
2017-01-17BX30298VOC1ND
2017-01-17BX30299VOC1ND
2017-01-18BX31348VOC1ND
2017-01-30BX40966VOC1ND
2017-03-08BX82062VOC1ND
2017-06-29BY50637VOC1ND
2017-09-25BZ09163VOC1ND
2017-10-24BZ27135VOC1ND
2017-10-25BZ27134VOC1ND
2017-11-09BZ38785VOC1ND
2018-01-16BZ73485VOC1ND
2018-03-30CA11464VOC1ND
2018-04-11CA18261VOC1ND
2018-07-09CA85598VOC1ND
2018-07-17CA91979ND
2018-09-13VOC1 200505275ND
2018-09-13VOC1 200505276ND
2018-09-13VOC1 200505266ND
2018-09-19VOC1 200506116ND
2018-09-20VOC1 200506324ND
2018-10-25VOC1 200510568ND
2019-01-30VOC1 200520057ND
2019-06-24VOC1 200538005ND
2019-07-08VOC1 200541172ND
2019-07-08VOC1 200539194ND
2019-07-16VOC1 200541091ND
2019-07-16VOC1 200540648ND
2019-07-16VOC1 200540644ND
2019-09-17VOC1 200549238ND
2019-09-18VOC1 200549465ND
2019-12-10VOC1 200559663ND