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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Cortland

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

 

42

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND10ND
2015ND10ND
2016ND150ND
2017ND90ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND70ND

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
2014-04-24POC 14 CORTLANDND
2015-05-28POC 15 CORTLANDND
2016-02-09POC 16W3M2 CORTLND
2016-02-17POC 16W5M2 CORTLND
2016-02-17POC 16W4M2 CORTLND
2016-03-22POC 16W5M3 CORTLND
2016-03-22POC 16W3M3 CORTLND
2016-03-22POC 16W4M3 CORTLND
2016-06-16POC 16W4M6 CORTLND
2016-06-16POC 16W3M6 CORTLND
2016-06-16POC 16W5M6 CORTLND
2016-08-08POC 16Q3W4 CORTLND
2016-10-04POC 16W3Q4 CORTLND
2016-10-17POC 16W5M10 CORTND
2016-12-27POC 16M12W3 CORTND
2016-12-27POC 16M12W4 CORTND
2016-12-27POC 16M12W5 CORTND
2017-03-07POC 17M3W4 CORTLND
2017-03-30POC 17M3W5 CORTLND
2017-05-11POC 17M5W3 CORTLND
2017-07-27POC 17M7W4 CORTLND
2017-07-27POC 17M7W5 CORTLND
2017-10-12POC 17M10W5 CORTND
2017-10-12POC 17M10W4 CORTND
2017-12-20POC 17M12W5 CORTND
2017-12-20POC 17M12W4 CORTND
2018-03-29POC 18M3W4 CORTLND
2018-03-29POC 18M3W5 CORTLND
2018-05-31POC 18W3 CORTLANND
2018-06-28POC 18M6W5 CORTLND
2018-06-28POC 18M6W4 CORTLND
2018-09-27POC 18M9W4 CORTLND
2018-09-27POC 18M9W5 CORTLND
2018-12-11POC 18M12W4 CORTND
2018-12-11POC 18M12W5 CORTND
2019-03-07POC 19M3W4 CORTLND
2019-05-30POC 19W3 CORTLANND
2019-06-26POC 19M6W4 CORTLND
2019-06-26POC 19M6W5 CORTLND
2019-10-09POC 19M10W4 CORTND
2019-10-31POC 19 CORTLANDND
2019-12-18POC 19M12W5 CORTND