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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Fort Drum

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.

 

315

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND340ND
2015ND360ND
2016ND280ND
2017ND720ND
2018ND660ND
2019ND790ND

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
2014-01-13SB83405-01ND
2014-01-13SB83405-02ND
2014-02-06SB84346-06ND
2014-02-06SB84346-07ND
2014-03-06SB85584-04ND
2014-03-06SB85584-03ND
2014-03-06SB85584-05ND
2014-04-07SB87452-03ND
2014-04-07SB87452-02ND
2014-04-07SB87452-01ND
2014-05-07SB89121-02ND
2014-05-07SB89121-01ND
2014-05-07SB89121-03ND
2014-06-02SB90705-02ND
2014-06-02SB90705-01ND
2014-06-02SB90705-03ND
2014-07-01SB92425-02ND
2014-07-01SB92425-03ND
2014-07-01SB92425-01ND
2014-08-04SB94214-05ND
2014-08-04SB94214-07ND
2014-08-04SB94214-06POCND
2014-09-02SB95756-02ND
2014-09-02SB95756-01ND
2014-09-02SB95756-03ND
2014-10-02SB97434-03ND
2014-10-02SB97434-01ND
2014-10-02SB97434-02ND
2014-11-03SB99401-02ND
2014-11-03SB99401-01ND
2014-11-03SB99401-03ND
2014-12-01SC00611-01ND
2014-12-01SC00611-03ND
2014-12-01SC00611-02ND
2015-01-12SC02391-01ND
2015-01-12SC02391-03ND
2015-01-12SC02391-02ND
2015-02-04SC03119-01ND
2015-02-04SC03119-02ND
2015-02-04SC03119-03ND
2015-03-04SC04042-02ND
2015-03-04SC04042-01ND
2015-03-04SC04042-03ND
2015-04-07SC05757-01ND
2015-04-07SC05757-03ND
2015-04-07SC05757-02ND
2015-05-04SC07048-02ND
2015-05-04SC07048-03ND
2015-05-04SC07048-01ND
2015-06-03SC08595-02ND
2015-06-03SC08595-03ND
2015-06-03SC08595-01ND
2015-07-06SC09782-02ND
2015-07-06SC09782-01ND
2015-07-06SC09782-03ND
2015-08-06SC11078-03ND
2015-08-06SC11078-01ND
2015-08-06SC11078-02ND
2015-09-14SC12542-01ND
2015-09-14SC12542-02ND
2015-09-14SC12542-03ND
2015-10-05SC13447-03ND
2015-10-05SC13447-01ND
2015-10-05SC13447-02ND
2015-11-04SC14628-01ND
2015-11-04SC14628-02ND
2015-11-04SC14628-03ND
2015-12-01SC15759-01ND
2015-12-01SC15759-02ND
2015-12-01SC15759-03ND
2016-01-20SC17436-02ND
2016-01-20SC17436-01ND
2016-01-20SC17436-03ND
2016-02-02SC17837-03ND
2016-02-02SC17837-02ND
2016-02-02SC17837-01ND
2016-03-01SC18722-02ND
2016-03-01SC18722-01ND
2016-03-01SC18722-03ND
2016-03-07SC18916-01ND
2016-04-121604C29-001FND
2016-04-131604D31-001KND
2016-10-17L1633665-03ND
2016-10-17L1633665-05ND
2016-10-17L1633665-04ND
2016-10-17L1633665-02ND
2016-10-17L1633665-01ND
2016-10-17L1633665-06ND
2016-10-27L1634686-01ND
2016-10-27L1634686-02ND
2016-10-27L1634686-03ND
2016-11-03L1635678-01ND
2016-11-28L1638478-01ND
2016-11-28L1638478-03ND
2016-11-28L1638478-04ND
2016-11-28L1638478-06ND
2016-11-28L1638478-02ND
2016-11-28L1638478-05ND
2017-01-12L1701210-04ND
2017-01-12L1701210-03ND
2017-01-12L1701210-02ND
2017-01-12L1701210-05ND
2017-01-12L1701210-01ND
2017-01-23L17012618-01ND
2017-02-15L1704866-02ND
2017-02-15L1704866-03ND
2017-02-15L1704866-06ND
2017-02-15L1704866-04ND
2017-02-15L1704866-05ND
2017-02-15L1704866-01ND
2017-03-20L1708790-06ND
2017-03-20L1708790-05ND
2017-03-20L1708790-03ND
2017-03-20L1708790-02ND
2017-03-20L1708790-04ND
2017-03-20L1708790-01ND
2017-04-11L1711570-05ND
2017-04-11L1711570-06ND
2017-04-11L1711570-03ND
2017-04-11L1711570-02ND
2017-04-11L1711570-01ND
2017-04-11L1711570-04ND
2017-05-17L1716101-02ND
2017-05-17L1716101-06ND
2017-05-17L1716101-03ND
2017-05-17L1716101-01ND
2017-05-17L1716101-05ND
2017-05-17L1716101-04ND
2017-06-21L1721235-05ND
2017-06-21L1721235-02ND
2017-06-21L1721235-04ND
2017-06-21L1721235-01ND
2017-06-21L1721235-06ND
2017-06-21L1721235-03ND
2017-07-12L1723923-04ND
2017-07-12L1723923-02ND
2017-07-12L1723923-05ND
2017-07-12L1723923-06ND
2017-07-12L1723923-03ND
2017-07-13L1723923-01ND
2017-08-15L1728637-05POCND
2017-08-15L1728637-02POCND
2017-08-15L1728637-06POCND
2017-08-15L1728637-03POCND
2017-08-15L1728637-04POCND
2017-08-15L1728637-01POCND
2017-09-18L1733598-02ND
2017-09-18L1733598-01ND
2017-09-18L1733598-06ND
2017-09-18L1733598-05ND
2017-09-18L1733598-04ND
2017-09-18L1733598-03ND
2017-10-24L1738985-06ND
2017-10-24L1738985-03ND
2017-10-24L1738985-01ND
2017-10-24L1738985-02ND
2017-10-24L1738985-05ND
2017-10-24L1738985-04ND
2017-11-21L1743081-01ND
2017-11-21L1743081-06ND
2017-11-21L1743081-02ND
2017-11-21L1743081-03ND
2017-11-21L1743081-04ND
2017-11-21L1743081-05ND
2017-12-05L1744901-06ND
2017-12-05L1744901-05ND
2017-12-05L1744901-04ND
2017-12-05L1744901-02ND
2017-12-05L1744901-03ND
2017-12-05L1744901-01ND
2018-01-22L1802663-06ND
2018-01-22L1802663-04ND
2018-01-22L1802663-03ND
2018-01-22L1802663-02ND
2018-01-22L1802663-05ND
2018-01-22L1802663-01ND
2018-02-22L1806368-02ND
2018-02-22L1806368-06ND
2018-02-22L1806368-03ND
2018-02-22L1806368-05ND
2018-02-22L1806368-01ND
2018-02-22L1806368-04ND
2018-03-19L1809888-05ND
2018-03-19L1809888-02ND
2018-03-19L1809888-04ND
2018-03-19L1809888-03ND
2018-03-19L1809888-01ND
2018-03-19L1809888-06ND
2018-04-19L1813754-05ND
2018-04-19L1813754-04ND
2018-04-19L1813754-03ND
2018-04-19L1813754-01ND
2018-04-19L1813754-06ND
2018-04-19L1813754-02ND
2018-05-17L1818259-02ND
2018-05-17L1818259-04ND
2018-05-17L1818259-06ND
2018-05-17L1818259-05ND
2018-05-17L1818259-01ND
2018-05-17L1818259-03ND
2018-06-20L1823208-05ND
2018-06-20L1823208-06ND
2018-06-20L1823208-02ND
2018-06-20L1823208-01ND
2018-06-20L1823208-03ND
2018-06-20L1823208-04ND
2018-07-10L1826528-05ND
2018-07-10L1826528-03ND
2018-07-10L1826528-01ND
2018-07-10L1826528-06ND
2018-07-10L1826528-02ND
2018-07-12L1826528-04ND
2018-08-15L1832126-05ND
2018-08-15L1832126-01ND
2018-08-15L1832126-02ND
2018-08-15L1832126-03ND
2018-08-15L1832126-04ND
2018-08-15L1832126-06ND
2018-09-19L1837757-05ND
2018-09-19L1837757-03ND
2018-09-19L1837757-04ND
2018-09-19L1837757-02ND
2018-09-19L1837757-06ND
2018-09-19L1837757-01ND
2018-10-17L1842392-02ND
2018-10-17L1842392-04ND
2018-10-17L1842392-05ND
2018-10-17L1842392-06ND
2018-10-17L1842392-01ND
2018-10-17L1842392-03ND
2018-11-26L1848169-03ND
2018-11-26L1848169-04ND
2018-11-26L1848169-05ND
2018-11-26L1848169-06ND
2018-11-26L1848169-02ND
2018-11-26L1848169-01ND
2019-01-29L1904010-02ND
2019-01-29L1904010-01ND
2019-02-05L1904584-07ND
2019-02-05L1904584-04ND
2019-02-05L1904584-02ND
2019-02-05L1904584-03ND
2019-02-05L1904584-06ND
2019-02-05L1904584-01ND
2019-02-05L1904584-05ND
2019-03-14L1910073-07ND
2019-03-14L1910073-03ND
2019-03-14L1910073-04ND
2019-03-14L1910073-06ND
2019-03-14L1910073-05ND
2019-03-14L1910073-02ND
2019-03-14L1910073-01ND
2019-04-09L1914665-03ND
2019-04-09L1914665-06ND
2019-04-09L1914665-07ND
2019-04-09L1914665-01ND
2019-04-09L1914665-04ND
2019-04-09L1914665-05ND
2019-04-09L1914665-02ND
2019-05-13L1920502-05ND
2019-05-13L1920502-03ND
2019-05-13L1920502-13ND
2019-05-13L1920502-09ND
2019-05-13L1920502-07ND
2019-05-13L1920502-01ND
2019-05-13L1920502-11ND
2019-06-10L1924763-04ND
2019-06-10L1924763-03ND
2019-06-10L1924763-02ND
2019-06-10L1924763-07ND
2019-06-10L1924763-05ND
2019-06-10L1924763-06ND
2019-06-10L1924763-01ND
2019-07-16L1931181-01ND
2019-07-16L1931181-06ND
2019-07-16L1931181-05ND
2019-07-16L1931181-03ND
2019-07-16L1931181-07ND
2019-07-16L1931181-04ND
2019-07-16L1931181-02ND
2019-08-20L1937642-02ND
2019-08-20L1937642-04ND
2019-08-20L1937642-08ND
2019-08-20L1937642-13ND
2019-08-20L1937642-09ND
2019-08-20L1937642-06ND
2019-08-20L1937642-11ND
2019-09-18L1943345-04ND
2019-09-18L1943345-03ND
2019-09-18L1943345-01ND
2019-09-18L1943345-05ND
2019-09-18L1943345-06ND
2019-09-18L1943345-02ND
2019-09-27L1945530-01ND
2019-10-08L1946951-04ND
2019-10-08L1946951-05ND
2019-10-08L1946951-03ND
2019-10-08L1946951-02ND
2019-10-08L1946951-01ND
2019-10-08L1946951-07ND
2019-10-08L1946951-06ND
2019-11-14L1954482-02ND
2019-11-14L1954482-03ND
2019-11-14L1954482-06ND
2019-11-14L1954482-01ND
2019-11-14L1954482-05ND
2019-11-14L1954482-07ND
2019-11-14L1954482-04ND
2019-12-12L1959662-05ND
2019-12-12L1959662-04ND
2019-12-12L1959662-01ND
2019-12-12L1959662-03ND
2019-12-12L1959662-02ND
2019-12-12L1959662-06ND
2019-12-12L1959662-07ND