Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Lafourche Water District 1

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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND70ND
2020ND60ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-02-2635377894001ND
2018-02-2635377894001ND
2018-07-2335406305001ND
2018-07-2335406305001ND
2018-08-2335413196001ND
2018-08-2335413196001ND
2019-01-2935445082001ND
2019-01-2935445082001ND
2019-02-1835449374001ND
2019-02-1835449374001ND
2019-07-2435484855001ND
2019-08-2835494052001ND
2019-08-2835494052001ND
2020-01-2235526013001ND
2020-01-2235526013002ND
2020-02-2635533604001ND
2020-02-2635533604002ND
2020-10-1535585520001ND
2020-12-0335596468001ND
2021-03-1135619276001ND
2021-03-1135619285001ND
2021-11-0435675774001ND
2021-12-1635685695001ND
2022-03-0235701429001ND
2022-03-0235701432001ND
2022-08-2535742731001ND
2022-10-1235753130001ND
2023-02-2735782418001ND
2023-03-2735789305001ND
2023-10-2335836721001ND
2023-12-1435848533001ND