Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Burr Oak

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.

 

49

Samples

3

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

24

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.217 ppb62ND - 0.800 ppb
20190.1000 ppb51ND - 0.500 ppb
20200.550 ppb42ND - 1.10 ppb
20210.633 ppb94ND - 1.70 ppb
20220.742 ppb126ND - 1.90 ppb
20231.22 ppb139ND - 2.80 ppb

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
2018-03-08LLH69426ND
2018-05-30LLH82924ND
2018-08-27LLI014940.800 ppb
2018-11-19LLI15978ND
2018-11-19LLI159770.500 ppb
2018-11-19LLI15976ND
2019-03-07LLI28317ND
2019-06-27LLI46828ND
2019-07-24LLI52063ND
2019-10-10LLI70511ND
2019-12-27LLI860750.500 ppb
2020-01-13ND
2020-04-09ND
2020-07-201.10 ppb
2020-10-131.10 ppb
2021-01-271.40 ppb
2021-06-241.30 ppb
2021-06-241.30 ppb
2021-06-24ND
2021-09-28ND
2021-09-28ND
2021-10-131.70 ppb
2021-10-13ND
2021-10-13ND
2022-01-19ND
2022-01-19ND
2022-01-191.30 ppb
2022-06-081.20 ppb
2022-06-08ND
2022-06-081.10 ppb
2022-09-011.80 ppb
2022-09-011.90 ppb
2022-09-01ND
2022-10-191.60 ppb
2022-10-19ND
2022-10-19ND
2023-03-161.40 ppb
2023-03-161.60 ppb
2023-03-16ND
2023-05-101.000 ppb
2023-05-101.10 ppb
2023-05-10ND
2023-09-142.80 ppb
2023-09-142.50 ppb
2023-09-252.30 ppb
2023-09-25ND
2023-10-19ND
2023-10-191.20 ppb
2023-10-191.90 ppb