Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Minden 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.

 

59

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
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND90ND
2022ND250ND
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
2018-06-2535400742009ND
2018-06-2535400742008ND
2018-06-2535400742001ND
2018-06-2535400742002ND
2018-06-2535400742005ND
2018-06-2535400742006ND
2018-06-2535400742007ND
2018-06-2535400742008ND
2018-06-2535400742009ND
2018-06-2535400742007ND
2018-06-2535400742006ND
2018-06-2535400742005ND
2018-06-2535400742002ND
2018-06-2535400742001ND
2018-07-1835405388002ND
2018-07-1835405388001ND
2018-07-1835405388004ND
2018-07-1835405388003ND
2018-07-1835405388002ND
2018-07-1835405388001ND
2018-07-1835405388004ND
2018-07-1835405388003ND
2021-04-1335626547005ND
2021-04-1335626547004ND
2021-04-1335626547003ND
2021-04-1335626547002ND
2021-04-1335625915003ND
2021-04-1335625915002ND
2021-04-1335625915001ND
2021-04-1335625915004ND
2021-06-1735641728002ND
2022-06-0235722181007ND
2022-06-0235722181001ND
2022-06-0235722181002ND
2022-06-0235722181003ND
2022-06-0235722181004ND
2022-06-0235722181005ND
2022-06-0235722181006ND
2022-06-0235722181008ND
2022-06-0235722181009ND
2022-06-0235722183001ND
2022-06-0235722183002ND
2022-06-0735723468003ND
2022-06-0735723468005ND
2022-06-0735723468004ND
2022-06-0735723468002ND
2022-09-1435747184002ND
2022-09-1435747184001ND
2022-09-1435747182008ND
2022-09-1435747182007ND
2022-09-1435747182006ND
2022-09-1435747182005ND
2022-09-1435747182004ND
2022-09-1435747182003ND
2022-09-1435747182002ND
2022-09-1435747182001ND
2023-12-1435849777001ND
2023-12-1435849777002ND
2023-12-1435849777003ND