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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Garfield Water Department

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

 

83

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND160ND
2015ND150ND
2016ND180ND
2017ND90ND
2018ND130ND
2019ND120ND

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
2014-01-21AB46229HZND
2014-01-21AB46230HZND
2014-02-20AB47523HZND
2014-03-19AB48621HZND
2014-04-15AB49727HZND
2014-04-15AB49728HZND
2014-05-13AB50732HZND
2014-06-10AB51911HZND
2014-07-15AB53423HZND
2014-07-15AB53424HZND
2014-08-19L5210780-2ND
2014-09-15L5250967-1ND
2014-10-21AB57426HZND
2014-10-21AB57427HZND
2014-11-12AB58282HZND
2014-12-09AB59404HZND
2015-01-21AB60972HZND
2015-01-21AB60971HZND
2015-02-24AB62244HZND
2015-03-17AB63206HZND
2015-04-21AB64574HZND
2015-04-21AB64573HZND
2015-06-09AB66698HZND
2015-06-23AB67401HZND
2015-08-06AB69499HZND
2015-08-06AB69500HZND
2015-08-06AB69498HZND
2015-09-22AB71495HZND
2015-10-20AB72632HZND
2015-10-20AB72633HZND
2015-10-20AB72634HZND
2016-01-12AB75855HZND
2016-01-12AB75856HZND
2016-01-12AB75854HZND
2016-01-26AB76459HZND
2016-02-16AB77202HZND
2016-04-12AB79639HZND
2016-04-12AB79640HZND
2016-04-12AB79638HZND
2016-07-12AB83719HZND
2016-07-12AB83718HZND
2016-07-12AB83720HZND
2016-08-18AB85462HZND
2016-09-13AB86447HZND
2016-10-11AB87765HZND
2016-10-11AB87764HZND
2016-10-11AB87763HZND
2016-11-22AB89699HZND
2016-12-13AB90445HZND
2017-01-10AB91459HZND
2017-01-10AB91460HZND
2017-04-11AB95109HZND
2017-04-11AB95110HZND
2017-07-11AB98675HZND
2017-07-11AB98674HZND
2017-10-10AC02410HZND
2017-10-10AC02407HZND
2017-12-12AC04918HZND
2018-01-09AC05949HZND
2018-01-09AC05950HZND
2018-04-10JC64163-2ND
2018-04-10JC64163-1ND
2018-05-09AC10706HZND
2018-07-17AC13548HZND
2018-07-17AC13545HZND
2018-08-03AC14315HZND
2018-09-18AC16305HZND
2018-10-04AC17147HZND
2018-10-04AC17143HZND
2018-11-09AC18616HZND
2018-12-11AC19842HZND
2019-01-08AC20865HZND
2019-01-08AC20869HZND
2019-02-11AC22466HZND
2019-04-02AC24607HZND
2019-04-02AC24608HZND
2019-04-02AC24609HZND
2019-07-12AC29239HZND
2019-07-12AC29243HZND
2019-07-12AC29242HZND
2019-10-02AC33249HZND
2019-10-02AC33253HZND
2019-10-02AC33251HZND