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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Battle Creek - Verona 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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

79

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND280ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
2018ND260ND
2019ND250ND

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
2014-02-20LLF09989ND
2014-02-20LLF09987ND
2014-02-20LLF09990ND
2014-02-20LLF09988ND
2014-02-20LLF09985ND
2014-02-20LLF09991ND
2014-02-20LLF09986ND
2014-05-08LLF17464ND
2014-05-08LLF17466ND
2014-05-08LLF17470ND
2014-05-08LLF17467ND
2014-05-08LLF17468ND
2014-05-08LLF17469ND
2014-05-08LLF17465ND
2014-08-28LLF35496ND
2014-08-28LLF35501ND
2014-08-28LLF35500ND
2014-08-28LLF35502ND
2014-08-28LLF35499ND
2014-08-28LLF35498ND
2014-08-28LLF35497ND
2014-11-04LLF45368ND
2014-11-04LLF45364ND
2014-11-04LLF45363ND
2014-11-04LLF45367ND
2014-11-04LLF45366ND
2014-11-04LLF45365ND
2014-11-04LLF45362ND
2018-02-12LLH65476ND
2018-02-12LLH65473ND
2018-02-12LLH65474ND
2018-02-12LLH65475ND
2018-05-07LLH79223ND
2018-05-07LLH79224ND
2018-05-07LLH79222ND
2018-05-07LLH79225ND
2018-08-20LLI00270ND
2018-08-20LLI00275ND
2018-08-20LLI00274ND
2018-08-20LLI00271ND
2018-08-20LLI00276ND
2018-08-20LLI00273ND
2018-08-20LLI00269ND
2018-08-20LLI00272ND
2018-11-19LLI16218ND
2018-11-19LLI16220ND
2018-11-19LLI16221ND
2018-11-19LLI16222ND
2018-11-19LLI16219ND
2018-12-17LLI19775ND
2018-12-17LLI19772ND
2018-12-17LLI19774ND
2018-12-17LLI19776ND
2018-12-17LLI19773ND
2019-02-04LLI24177ND
2019-02-04LLI24179ND
2019-02-04LLI24178ND
2019-02-04LLI24181ND
2019-02-04LLI24180ND
2019-05-06LLI36264ND
2019-05-06LLI36266ND
2019-05-06LLI36267ND
2019-05-06LLI36271ND
2019-05-06LLI36265ND
2019-05-06LLI36270ND
2019-05-06LLI36269ND
2019-05-06LLI36268ND
2019-08-05LLI53800ND
2019-08-05LLI53803ND
2019-08-05LLI53804ND
2019-08-05LLI53801ND
2019-08-05LLI53802ND
2019-11-07LLI75750ND
2019-11-07LLI75746ND
2019-11-07LLI75747ND
2019-11-07LLI75748ND
2019-11-07LLI75749ND
2019-12-04LLI80939ND
2019-12-04LLI80940ND