Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Tangipahoa Parish Water District

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)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND220ND
2019N/A00N/A
2020ND70ND
2021ND50ND
2022N/A00N/A
2023ND80ND

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
2018-01-2935371217004ND
2018-01-2935371217003ND
2018-01-2935371217002ND
2018-01-2935371217001ND
2018-01-2935371217001ND
2018-01-2935371217002ND
2018-01-2935371217003ND
2018-01-2935371217004ND
2018-05-0735391332001ND
2018-05-0735391332002ND
2018-05-0735391332002ND
2018-05-0735391332001ND
2018-12-0335434998002ND
2018-12-0335434998005ND
2018-12-0335434998003ND
2018-12-0335434998002ND
2018-12-0335434998001ND
2018-12-0335434998005ND
2018-12-0335434998004ND
2018-12-0335434998003ND
2018-12-0335434998001ND
2018-12-0335434998004ND
2020-03-0235535343001ND
2020-11-1635593782003ND
2020-11-1635593782004ND
2020-11-1635593782005ND
2020-11-1635593782006ND
2020-11-1635593782001ND
2020-11-1635593782002ND
2021-11-0135675416004ND
2021-11-0135675416005ND
2021-11-0135675416003ND
2021-11-0135675416002ND
2021-11-0135675416001ND
2023-03-2835789166001ND
2023-10-2535837335001ND
2023-10-2535837335002ND
2023-11-0635840552001ND
2023-11-0635840552002ND
2023-11-0635840552003ND
2023-11-0635840552004ND
2023-11-0635840552005ND