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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Elmira Water Board

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

 

115

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
2014ND210ND
2015ND190ND
2016ND180ND
2017ND190ND
2018ND190ND
2019ND190ND

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
2014-02-1814022444-003POCND
2014-02-1814022444-001POCND
2014-02-1814022444-002POCND
2014-02-1914022449-001POCND
2014-04-2814041825-005POCND
2014-04-2814041825-003POCND
2014-05-2014053775-002POCND
2014-05-2014053775-003POCND
2014-05-2014053775-001POCND
2014-05-2214053828-03POCSND
2014-07-08S4G0996-02POCND
2014-07-08S4G0996-01POCND
2014-07-08S4G0996-03POCND
2014-08-12S4H1713-01POCND
2014-08-12S4H1713-02POCND
2014-08-12S4H1713-03POCND
2014-08-15S4H1864-01POCSND
2014-11-17S4K1397-01POCSND
2014-11-17S4K1397-03POCSND
2014-11-17S4K1397-02POCSND
2014-11-18S4K1395-01POCSND
2015-02-17S5B1411-03POCND
2015-02-18S5B1411-02POCND
2015-02-18S5B1411-01POCND
2015-02-19S5B1410-01POCND
2015-05-21S5E0266-02POCSND
2015-05-21S5E0266-05POCSND
2015-05-21S5E0266-03POCSND
2015-05-21S5E0266-01POCSND
2015-05-21S5E0266-04POCSND
2015-08-25S5H1865-02POCND
2015-08-25S5H1867-01POCND
2015-08-25S5H1865-01POCND
2015-08-28S5I0279-03POCND
2015-10-21S5J1742-01POCSND
2015-10-21S5J1741-03POCSND
2015-11-16S5K1140-01POCSND
2015-11-16S5K1140-02POCSND
2015-11-16S5K1140-03POCSND
2015-11-19S5K1437-01POCSND
2016-02-16S6B0769-03POCND
2016-02-16S6B0769-02POCND
2016-02-16S6B0769-01POCND
2016-02-18S6B0767-01POCND
2016-05-16S6E0734-04POCND
2016-05-16S6E0734-02POCND
2016-05-16S6E0734-05POCND
2016-05-16S6E0734-03POCND
2016-05-17S6E0734-01POCND
2016-08-15S6H0653-03POCND
2016-08-15S6H0653-01POCND
2016-08-15S6H0653-02POCND
2016-08-16S6H0652-01POCND
2016-11-09J6K0741-01POCSND
2016-11-15J6K0897-01POCND
2016-11-15J6K0897-03POCND
2016-11-15J6K0897-02POCND
2016-11-15J6K0896-01POCND
2017-02-21J7B1250-03POCND
2017-02-21J7B1250-02POCND
2017-02-21J7B1250-01POCND
2017-02-22J7B1252-01POCND
2017-04-24J7D1457-03POCSND
2017-04-24J7D1457-06POCSND
2017-05-15J7E1290-02POCND
2017-05-15J7E1288-02POCND
2017-05-15J7E1288-01POCND
2017-05-15J7E1288-03POCND
2017-05-16J7E1290-01POCND
2017-08-14J7H1496-02POCSND
2017-08-14J7H1496-01POCSND
2017-08-14J7H1496-03POCSND
2017-08-15J7H1496-04POCSND
2017-11-21J7K1843-03POCND
2017-11-21J7K1844-01POCND
2017-11-21J7K1843-02POCND
2017-11-21J7K1843-01POCND
2018-02-20J8B0198-02POCND
2018-02-20J8B0198-04POCND
2018-02-20J8B0198-05POCND
2018-02-20J8B0198-03POCND
2018-02-20J8B0198-01POCND
2018-05-21J8E1326-01POCND
2018-06-15J8F1307-02POCSND
2018-06-15J8F1307-03POCSND
2018-06-15J8F1307-01POCSND
2018-08-20J8H2006-02POCND
2018-08-20J8H2006-01POCND
2018-08-20J8H2003-01POCND
2018-08-20J8H2006-03POCND
2018-10-15S8J0363-01POCND
2018-10-15S8J0363-02POC-NOND
2018-11-13J8K1047-03POCND
2018-11-13J8K1047-04POCND
2018-11-13J8K1047-01POCND
2018-11-13J8K1047-02POCND
2019-02-19S9B0267-03POCSND
2019-02-19S9B0267-05POCSND
2019-02-19S9B0267-02POCSND
2019-02-19S9B0267-04POCSND
2019-02-19S9B0267-01POCSND
2019-05-20S9E0301-01POCND
2019-05-20S9E0301-04POCND
2019-05-20S9E0301-02POCND
2019-05-20S9E0301-03POCND
2019-07-31S9G0260-02POCND
2019-07-31S9G0260-01POCND
2019-08-19S9H0344-03POCND
2019-08-19S9H0344-01POCND
2019-08-19S9H0344-04POCND
2019-08-19S9H0344-02ND
2019-11-04S9K0143-02POCND
2019-11-04S9K0143-03POCND
2019-11-04S9K0143-01POCND
2019-11-04S9K0143-04POCND