Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Pulaski County Public Water Supply District 2

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.

 

33

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND90ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND40ND
2021ND90ND
2022ND40ND
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
2018-01-10AD12046ND
2018-03-05AD17401ND
2018-05-03AD18576ND
2018-06-04AD19098ND
2018-06-04AD19099ND
2018-06-04AD19100ND
2018-06-04AD19101ND
2018-07-11AD29485ND
2018-10-12AD35058ND
2019-01-08AD38366ND
2019-04-08AD46655ND
2019-07-12AD52707ND
2019-10-18AD57365ND
2020-01-13AD60686ND
2020-04-152004208ND
2020-07-172011559ND
2020-10-222016607ND
2021-01-112020177ND
2021-02-222101298ND
2021-02-222101296ND
2021-02-222101294ND
2021-02-222101292ND
2021-02-222101290ND
2021-04-192103691ND
2021-07-122113558ND
2021-10-252118127ND
2022-01-102121597ND
2022-04-112204306ND
2022-07-112214666ND
2022-10-122219661ND
2023-01-092223200ND
2023-04-112303410ND
2023-07-132311563ND