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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

City of Stuart - Water Plant

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

 

208

Samples

12

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

29

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND60ND
2015ND40ND
2016ND50ND
20170.616 ppb376ND - 7.70 ppb
20180.570 ppb4711ND - 9.30 ppb
20190.488 ppb10912ND - 8.70 ppb

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 Result
2014-01-07ND
2014-04-04ND
2014-07-07ND
2014-08-15ND
2014-11-04ND
2014-12-16ND
2015-01-07ND
2015-04-01ND
2015-09-24ND
2015-12-24ND
2016-01-07ND
2016-04-11ND
2016-06-03ND
2016-07-26ND
2016-10-19ND
2017-01-17ND
2017-04-04ND
2017-07-27ND
2017-08-23ND
2017-08-237.70 ppb
2017-08-23ND
2017-08-23ND
2017-08-23ND
2017-08-23ND
2017-08-23ND
2017-09-21ND
2017-09-271.60 ppb
2017-09-277.60 ppb
2017-09-27ND
2017-09-271.000 ppb
2017-09-27ND
2017-09-27ND
2017-09-27ND
2017-10-20ND
2017-11-22ND
2017-11-221.40 ppb
2017-11-22ND
2017-11-223.50 ppb
2017-11-22ND
2017-11-22ND
2017-11-22ND
2017-11-22ND
2017-11-22ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2017-12-06ND
2018-01-25ND
2018-04-11ND
2018-09-170.820 ppb
2018-09-170.390 ppb
2018-09-170.390 ppb
2018-09-170.390 ppb
2018-09-170.390 ppb
2018-09-170.390 ppb
2018-09-170.250 ppb
2018-09-170.390 ppb
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-047.20 ppb
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-04ND
2018-10-24ND
2018-10-24ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-206.90 ppb
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-11-20ND
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-059.30 ppb
2018-12-05ND
2018-12-05ND
2019-01-25ND
2019-02-15ND
2019-02-15ND
2019-02-15ND
2019-02-15ND
2019-02-158.00 ppb
2019-02-15ND
2019-02-15ND
2019-02-15ND
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-137.70 ppb
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-13ND
2019-03-21ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-251.10 ppb
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-25ND
2019-04-258.70 ppb
2019-04-26ND
2019-04-26ND
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-200.400 ppb
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-207.40 ppb
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-20ND
2019-05-20ND
2019-06-18ND
2019-06-18ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-240.740 ppb
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-241.90 ppb
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-07-24ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-09-17ND
2019-10-211.70 ppb
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-21ND
2019-10-217.10 ppb
2019-10-21ND
2019-11-07ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-18ND
2019-11-181.30 ppb
2019-11-18ND
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-177.20 ppb
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-17ND
2019-12-17ND