Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Georgetown Water Department

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.

 

61

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND70ND
2019ND80ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND140ND
2023ND220ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-03-14S769306ND
2018-06-18S813747ND
2018-06-25S792519ND
2018-07-02S808292ND
2018-08-30S824396ND
2018-12-189948087-EVOCND
2018-12-28S816944ND
2019-01-28S860823ND
2019-02-08L7103316-EVOCND
2019-04-17S872273ND
2019-08-22S848507ND
2019-08-22S848509ND
2019-09-26S909231ND
2019-11-15S925389ND
2019-11-15S925386ND
2020-02-18S932571ND
2020-05-04S952565ND
2020-06-22S969544ND
2020-06-22S969546ND
2020-09-18S969760ND
2020-10-05S977627ND
2020-10-05S977621ND
2021-03-17S1048421ND
2021-08-10S1009067ND
2021-11-12S1148457ND
2022-02-16S1159447ND
2022-04-07S1185506ND
2022-04-07S1185434ND
2022-06-30S1209331ND
2022-06-30S1209329ND
2022-06-30S1209322ND
2022-06-30S1209324ND
2022-06-30S1209327ND
2022-09-16S1230815ND
2022-10-06S1230981ND
2022-10-06S1230979ND
2022-10-06S1230983ND
2022-10-10S1231009ND
2022-10-10S1231007ND
2023-03-24S1282875ND
2023-03-24S1282873ND
2023-03-24S1282871ND
2023-03-24S1282869ND
2023-03-24S1282867ND
2023-06-26S1287829ND
2023-06-26S1287827ND
2023-06-26S1287825ND
2023-06-30S1260840ND
2023-06-30S1260837ND
2023-09-13S1287683ND
2023-09-13S1287695ND
2023-09-28S1307835ND
2023-09-28S1307841ND
2023-09-28S1307839ND
2023-09-28S1307837ND
2023-09-28S1307833ND
2023-11-21S1307974ND
2023-11-21S1307971ND
2023-11-21S1307969ND
2023-11-21S1307968ND
2023-11-21S1307966ND