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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Freeport

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

 

233

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND360ND
2015ND390ND
2016ND420ND
2017ND440ND
2018ND420ND
2019ND300ND

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
2014-02-261402E45-001-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-004-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-008-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-002-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-005-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-003-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-006-POCSND
2014-02-261402E45-007-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-006-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-007-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-001-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-008-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-003-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-005-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-004-POCSND
2014-04-021404165-002-POCSND
2014-08-191408D71-001-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-004-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-005-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-002-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-001-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-003-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-008-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-006-POCSND
2014-09-101409756-007-POCSND
2014-10-141410928-001-POCSND
2014-10-301410K14-001-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-006-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-003-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-001-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-007-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-002-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-004-POCSND
2014-12-121412948-005-POCSND
2014-12-181412D94-001-POCSND
2014-12-181412D96-001-POCSND
2015-01-201501B45-001-POCSND
2015-01-201501B48-001-POCSND
2015-02-101502609-002-POCSND
2015-02-101502609-001-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-005-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-004-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-002-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-001-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-003-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-007-POCSND
2015-03-111503723-006-POCSND
2015-03-181503C64-001-POCSND
2015-03-181503C64-002-POCSND
2015-04-141504A96-004-POCSND
2015-04-141504A96-007-POCSND
2015-04-141504A96-008-POCSND
2015-04-141504A96-002-POCSND
2015-04-141504A96-003-POCSND
2015-04-141504A96-009-POCSND
2015-04-151504A96-001-POCSND
2015-04-151504A96-006-POCSND
2015-04-151504A96-005-POCSND
2015-07-201507D49-007-POCSND
2015-07-201507D49-004-POCSND
2015-07-201507D49-003-POCSND
2015-07-201507D49-008-POCSND
2015-07-201507D49-006-POCSND
2015-07-201507D49-009-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-001-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-003-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-002-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-006-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-009-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-007-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-005-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-011-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-008-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-010-POCSND
2015-10-211510G28-004-POCSND
2016-02-011607A22-006ND
2016-03-021603153-004-POCND
2016-03-0216003153-005-POCND
2016-03-021603153-003-POCSND
2016-03-021603153-006ND
2016-03-021603153-002-POCSND
2016-03-021603153-002ND
2016-03-021603153-001ND
2016-03-171603E70-001-POCND
2016-03-171603E70-003ND
2016-03-171603E70-003-POCSND
2016-03-171603E70-002ND
2016-05-111605971-006ND
2016-05-111605971-002ND
2016-05-111605971-010ND
2016-05-111605971-007ND
2016-05-111607I26-001-POCSND
2016-05-111605971-001ND
2016-05-111605971-004ND
2016-05-111605971-008ND
2016-05-111605971-003ND
2016-05-111605971-009ND
2016-07-13 1607A22-009ND
2016-07-131607A22-003ND
2016-07-131607A22-002ND
2016-07-131607A22-005ND
2016-07-131607A22-007ND
2016-07-131607A22-008ND
2016-07-131607A22-001ND
2016-07-131607A22-004ND
2016-09-221609J39-001-POCSND
2016-10-06701368005ND
2016-10-06701368023ND
2016-10-06701368002ND
2016-10-06701368029ND
2016-10-06701368008ND
2016-10-06701368017ND
2016-10-06701368020ND
2016-10-06701368011ND
2016-10-06701368032ND
2016-10-06701368014ND
2016-10-06701368026ND
2017-03-087012890004ND
2017-03-087012890003ND
2017-03-087012890011ND
2017-03-087012890002ND
2017-03-087012890008ND
2017-03-087012890006ND
2017-03-087012890010ND
2017-03-087012890009ND
2017-03-087012890007ND
2017-03-087012890005ND
2017-03-087012890001ND
2017-05-25701966011-POCSND
2017-05-257019669008-POCSND
2017-05-257019669001-POCSND
2017-05-257019669010-POCSND
2017-05-257019669004-POCSND
2017-05-257019669005-POCSND
2017-05-257019669006-POCSND
2017-05-257019669007-POCSND
2017-05-257019669011-POCSND
2017-05-257019669002-POCSND
2017-05-257019669003-POCSND
2017-05-257019669009-POCSND
2017-08-297028485005ND
2017-08-297028485002ND
2017-08-297028485006ND
2017-08-297028485009ND
2017-08-297028485008ND
2017-08-297028485004ND
2017-08-297028485001ND
2017-08-297028485007ND
2017-08-297028485010ND
2017-09-147029977001-POCSND
2017-10-057032081003ND
2017-10-057032081002ND
2017-10-057032081004ND
2017-10-057032081001ND
2017-10-197033528007-POCSND
2017-10-197033528002-POCSND
2017-10-197033528001-POCSND
2017-10-197033528005-POCSND
2017-10-197033528004-POCSND
2017-10-197033528003-POCSND
2017-10-197033528006-POCSND
2018-03-067044635001ND
2018-03-067044635004ND
2018-03-067044635009ND
2018-03-067044635006ND
2018-03-067044635007ND
2018-03-067044635005ND
2018-03-067044635002ND
2018-03-067044635003ND
2018-03-067044635008ND
2018-03-297046647002ND
2018-04-247049440002-POCSND
2018-04-247049440001-POCSND
2018-04-247049440008ND
2018-04-247049440006-POCSND
2018-04-247049440005-POCSND
2018-04-247049440007-POCSND
2018-04-247049440003-POCSND
2018-04-247049440004-POCSND
2018-04-247049440009-POCSND
2018-05-117051431001-POCSND
2018-06-127054639001-POCSND
2018-07-317059905001-POCSND
2018-07-317059905002-POCSND
2018-07-317059905011-POCSND
2018-07-317059905006-POCSND
2018-07-317059905005-POCSND
2018-07-317059905008ND
2018-07-317059905003-POCSND
2018-07-317059905004ND
2018-07-317059905007-POCSND
2018-07-317059905009-POCSND
2018-07-317059905010-POCSND
2018-11-277072124009-POCSND
2018-11-277072124002-POCSND
2018-11-277072124005-POCSND
2018-11-277072124008-POCSND
2018-11-277072124003-POCSND
2018-11-277072124004-POCSND
2018-11-277072124006-POCSND
2018-11-277072124007-POCSND
2018-11-277072124001-POCSND
2018-11-277072124010-POCSND
2019-01-317078033002ND
2019-01-317078033009ND
2019-01-317078033006ND
2019-01-317078033001ND
2019-01-317078033007ND
2019-01-317078033003ND
2019-01-317078033005ND
2019-01-317078033010ND
2019-01-317078033004ND
2019-01-317078033008ND
2019-06-047091996006-POCSND
2019-06-047091996008-POCSND
2019-06-047091996010-POCSND
2019-06-047091996009-POCSND
2019-06-047091996004-POCSND
2019-06-047091996005ND
2019-06-047091996007-POCSND
2019-06-047091996003ND
2019-06-047091996001-POCSND
2019-06-047091996002-POCSND
2019-10-2470109658009ND
2019-10-2470109658003ND
2019-10-2470109658004ND
2019-10-2470109658007ND
2019-10-2470109658008ND
2019-10-2470109658010ND
2019-10-2470109658005ND
2019-10-2470109658002ND
2019-10-2470109658001ND
2019-10-2470109658006ND