Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Andrews 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.

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

8

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND50ND
20210.0917 ppb122ND - 0.600 ppb
20220.0956 ppb163ND - 0.630 ppb
20230.204 ppb93ND - 0.660 ppb

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
2020-06-22DK35115ND
2020-06-2750261040001ND
2020-07-2320072479-001ND
2020-09-1020091027-002ND
2020-11-2320112107-002AREV2ND
2021-02-1021021011-001AND
2021-05-1021050821-001A0.600 ppb
2021-07-2021071758-001AND
2021-08-1821081685-001A0.500 ppb
2021-08-2021082037-002AND
2021-08-2021082037-003AND
2021-08-2021082037-004AND
2021-08-2021082037-001AND
2021-11-2221112028-002AND
2021-11-2221112028-001AND
2021-12-0221120159-001AND
2021-12-0221120159-002AND
2022-01-2622011891-001A0.400 ppb
2022-01-2622011891-002AND
2022-02-1522020997-004AND
2022-02-1522020997-003A0.500 ppb
2022-05-23112708-2ND
2022-05-23112708-1ND
2022-08-16122459-1ND
2022-08-16122459-2ND
2022-11-17132023-10.630 ppb
2022-11-29132892-1ND
2022-11-29132892-3ND
2022-11-29132892-2ND
2022-12-02133268-2ND
2022-12-02133268-1ND
2022-12-08133928-2ND
2022-12-08133928-1ND
2023-01-24138157-1ND
2023-01-24138157-2ND
2023-05-08148546-10.590 ppb
2023-05-08148546-2ND
2023-08-23160623-2ND
2023-08-23160623-40.660 ppb
2023-08-23160623-5ND
2023-11-21169747-10.590 ppb
2023-11-21169747-2ND