Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Village Water System

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.

 

56

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018N/A00N/A
2019ND360ND
2020ND10ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND180ND
2023ND10ND

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

Date Lab ID Result
2019-02-1135447880008ND
2019-02-1135447880008ND
2019-02-1135447880007ND
2019-02-1135447880006ND
2019-02-1135447880005ND
2019-02-1135447880004ND
2019-02-1135447880003ND
2019-02-1135447880002ND
2019-02-1135447880001ND
2019-02-1135447880001ND
2019-02-1135447880002ND
2019-02-1135447880003ND
2019-02-1135447880004ND
2019-02-1135447880005ND
2019-02-1135447880006ND
2019-02-1135447880007ND
2019-03-2535457558009ND
2019-03-2535457558001ND
2019-03-2535457558008ND
2019-03-2535457558007ND
2019-03-2535457558006ND
2019-03-2535457558005ND
2019-03-2535457558003ND
2019-03-2535457558004ND
2019-03-2535457558002ND
2019-03-2535457558003ND
2019-03-2535457558004ND
2019-03-2535457558005ND
2019-03-2535457558006ND
2019-03-2535457558008ND
2019-03-2535457558009ND
2019-03-2535457558001ND
2019-03-2535457558002ND
2019-03-2535457558007ND
2019-04-0135458991001ND
2019-04-0135458991001ND
2020-11-1935593860001ND
2022-03-1535704999005ND
2022-03-1535704999001ND
2022-03-1535704999004ND
2022-03-1535704999006ND
2022-03-2135705852005ND
2022-03-2135705852004ND
2022-03-2135705852003ND
2022-03-2135705852002ND
2022-03-2135705852001ND
2022-03-2935707348001ND
2022-03-2935707348007ND
2022-03-2935707348006ND
2022-03-2935707348005ND
2022-03-2935707348004ND
2022-03-2935707348003ND
2022-03-2935707348002ND
2022-05-0235714816001ND
2022-12-0635765354006ND
2023-11-2735844622002ND