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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Maryland American Water Company

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

81

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND180ND
2015ND130ND
2016ND160ND
2017ND80ND
2018ND110ND
2019ND150ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-01-140120003_02_24479ND
2014-02-120120003_02_24872ND
2014-02-120120003_02_24872ND
2014-02-120120003_02_24872ND
2014-02-120120003_02_24872ND
2014-02-140120003_02_24873ND
2014-02-180120003_02_24873ND
2014-03-100120003_02_25038ND
2014-04-080120003_02_25195ND
2014-05-130120003_01_25676ND
2014-05-130120003_02_25671ND
2014-06-180120003_02_25934ND
2014-07-160120003_02_26312ND
2014-08-120120003_02_26567ND
2014-09-040120003_02_00086ND
2014-09-110120003_02_26908ND
2014-10-150120003_02_27258ND
2014-12-080120003_02_27708ND
2015-01-150120003_02_28007ND
2015-02-120120003_02_28168ND
2015-03-0428311401ND
2015-04-1428658101ND
2015-05-1228900201ND
2015-06-1629076501ND
2015-07-1429505701ND
2015-08-1129933801ND
2015-09-0830098901ND
2015-10-06E16001485018ND
2015-10-1330312301ND
2015-11-1630555501ND
2015-12-2130763601ND
2016-01-1231004801ND
2016-02-1031164301ND
2016-03-0831416101ND
2016-04-1231602201ND
2016-05-1031993001ND
2016-05-1031992001ND
2016-05-1031991901ND
2016-06-27328777ND
2016-07-12326537ND
2016-08-09328815ND
2016-09-0133187001ND
2016-09-2033597601ND
2016-10-11334095ND
2016-11-08337002ND
2016-11-30E17002347004ND
2016-12-1433923101ND
2017-01-1734232601ND
2017-02-1434563201ND
2017-03-1434852301ND
2017-04-1135076401ND
2017-05-0935398301ND
2017-05-0935393101ND
2017-05-3036129801ND
2017-10-31E18001764001ND
2018-05-1539313501ND
2018-05-1539311001ND
2018-06-1239750101ND
2018-07-1740177201ND
2018-08-0640553401ND
2018-09-18E19000995004ND
2018-09-1840907401ND
2018-09-27E19001118001ND
2018-10-0941360801ND
2018-11-0541786201ND
2018-12-0542194901ND
2019-01-1542524401ND
2019-02-1342808201ND
2019-03-1343266901ND
2019-04-10435849ND
2019-05-16438936ND
2019-05-21438937ND
2019-06-25443655ND
2019-07-17E20000222010ND
2019-07-18449856ND
2019-08-28455573ND
2019-09-05E20000962001ND
2019-09-0546211001ND
2019-10-0246770701ND
2019-11-1147048901ND
2019-12-1047529401ND