Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Palmer Water District No.1

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
2018ND60ND
2019ND60ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND70ND
2023ND70ND

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 Result
2018-08-06ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2018-08-14ND
2019-08-12ND
2019-08-13ND
2019-08-13ND
2019-08-13ND
2019-08-13ND
2019-11-19ND
2020-01-15ND
2020-04-08ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-09-09ND
2020-12-03ND
2021-01-07ND
2021-04-06ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-07-27ND
2021-11-09ND
2022-01-05ND
2022-04-05ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2022-07-12ND
2023-03-07ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-07-18ND
2023-10-17ND