Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Lafayette Utilities Water 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.

 

56

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND200ND
2019ND140ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND100ND
2022ND60ND
2023ND30ND

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
2018-03-0535378308005ND
2018-03-0535378308001ND
2018-03-0535378308005ND
2018-03-0535378308004ND
2018-03-0535378308003ND
2018-03-0535378308002ND
2018-03-0535378308001ND
2018-03-0535378308002ND
2018-03-0535378308003ND
2018-03-0535378308004ND
2018-04-3035389627001ND
2018-04-3035389627001ND
2018-05-1435392629001ND
2018-05-1435392629001ND
2018-06-1935399735001ND
2018-06-1935399735001ND
2018-06-1935399735002ND
2018-06-1935399735003ND
2018-06-1935399735003ND
2018-06-1935399735002ND
2019-01-1435442609001ND
2019-01-1435442609002ND
2019-01-1435442609001ND
2019-01-1435442609002ND
2019-08-1235490056002ND
2019-08-1235490056004ND
2019-08-1235490056003ND
2019-08-1235490056002ND
2019-08-1235490056001ND
2019-08-1235490056005ND
2019-08-1235490056004ND
2019-08-1235490056003ND
2019-08-1235490056001ND
2019-08-1235490056005ND
2020-07-2035564847001ND
2020-07-2035564847003ND
2020-07-2035564847002ND
2021-02-0835610872005ND
2021-02-0835610872004ND
2021-02-0835610872003ND
2021-02-0835610872002ND
2021-02-0835610872001ND
2021-06-2135642603004ND
2021-06-2135642603005ND
2021-06-2135642603003ND
2021-06-2135642603002ND
2021-06-2135642603001ND
2022-05-2335720206001ND
2022-05-2335720206002ND
2022-05-2335720206003ND
2022-05-2335720206004ND
2022-05-2335720206005ND
2022-05-2335720206006ND
2023-05-2235801891004ND
2023-05-2235801891005ND
2023-05-2235801891006ND