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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Locust Valley Water District

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

 

150

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND310ND
2015ND100ND
2016ND330ND
2017ND230ND
2018ND290ND
2019ND240ND

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
2014-01-141401530-002-POCSND
2014-01-141401530-003-POCSND
2014-01-211401867-001-POCSND
2014-01-281401B19-001-POCSND
2014-02-041402057-001-POCSND
2014-03-251404038-001-POCSND
2014-04-011404038-002-POCSND
2014-04-141404990-001-POCSND
2014-04-211404E83-001-POCSND
2014-06-301406M11-002-POCSND
2014-07-291407K05-001-POCSND
2014-08-181408B71-002-POCSND
2014-08-251408H39-001-POCSND
2014-08-261408I37-002-POCSND
2014-08-261408I37-001-POCSND
2014-09-101409740-002-POCSND
2014-09-101409749-001-POCSND
2014-09-171409D34-001-POCSND
2014-09-171409D32-001-POCSND
2014-09-231409I18-02-POCSND
2014-09-231409I18-002-POCSND
2014-09-241409I49-001-POCSND
2014-10-011410013-001-POCSND
2014-10-011410013-002-POCSND
2014-10-131410838-001-POCSND
2014-10-131410838-002-POCSND
2014-10-201410C68-001-POCSND
2014-10-301410K24-001-POCSND
2014-10-301410K24-002-POCSND
2014-11-171411A56-001-POCSND
2014-12-091412671-002-POCSND
2015-01-051501067-001-POCSND
2015-01-121501548-001-POCSND
2015-01-141501747-001-POCSND
2015-01-141501747-002-POCSND
2015-02-111502661-002-POCSND
2015-04-071504381-002-POCSND
2015-04-081504522-002-POCSND
2015-04-081504522-001-POCSND
2015-04-141504968-002-POCSND
2015-04-201504E35-001-POCSND
2016-01-051601125-001-POCND
2016-01-051601125-002-POCND
2016-01-061601266-002-POCND
2016-01-111601539-001-POCND
2016-01-121601657-001-POCND
2016-02-021602109-002-POCND
2016-02-021602109-003-POCND
2016-02-101602805-001-POCND
2016-03-141603A46-001-POCND
2016-04-041604198-002-POCND
2016-04-041604198-001-POCND
2016-04-061604482-001ND
2016-04-061604482-002-POCND
2016-04-121604A67-002-POCND
2016-05-031605141-002-POCND
2016-05-041605297-002-POCND
2016-05-041605297-001-POCND
2016-07-051607162-002-POCND
2016-07-111607746-001-POCND
2016-08-041608502-002-POCND
2016-08-041608502-003-POCND
2016-08-171608G37-001-POCND
2016-08-231608L71-001-POCND
2016-08-301608S10-001-POCND
2016-09-061609219-002-POCND
2016-09-061609219-003-POCND
2016-10-03701027002-POCND
2016-10-03701027001-POCND
2016-10-03701027003-POCND
2016-10-05701210002-POCND
2016-11-01703388001-POCND
2016-11-01703388002-POCND
2016-12-01705763001-POCND
2017-01-04708263001-POCND
2017-01-04708263002-POCND
2017-01-10708707002-POCND
2017-01-10708707001-POCND
2017-01-23709647001-POCND
2017-02-137011227001-POCND
2017-04-037014711001-POCND
2017-04-037014711002-POCND
2017-04-047014822002-POCND
2017-04-047014822001-POCND
2017-04-247016689001-POCND
2017-05-037017623001ND
2017-08-227027930001-POCND
2017-08-287028361001-POCND
2017-08-307028531001-POCND
2017-09-057028851001-POCND
2017-09-117029447001-POCND
2017-10-027031534002-POCND
2017-10-027031534001-POCND
2017-10-107032367001-POCND
2017-10-237033738002-POCND
2017-11-137035523001-POCND
2017-11-207036171001-POCND
2018-01-027039447001ND
2018-01-027039447001-POCND
2018-01-087039782001-POCND
2018-01-167040417002-POCND
2018-01-167040417001-POCND
2018-01-237041066001-POCND
2018-02-077042205001ND
2018-04-037046983002ND
2018-04-037046983001ND
2018-04-237049233001ND
2018-04-247049376001ND
2018-05-077050702003ND
2018-08-037060300001-POCND
2018-08-077060621001-POCND
2018-08-137061326001-POCND
2018-08-217062227001-POCND
2018-09-047063494001ND
2018-09-047063494003ND
2018-09-107064177001-POCND
2018-10-037066637001ND
2018-10-097067250001ND
2018-10-107067430001ND
2018-10-117067660002ND
2018-11-017069657001ND
2018-11-067070105002ND
2018-11-077070276001ND
2018-11-097070664001ND
2018-12-03N-01651ND
2018-12-057072903002ND
2019-01-077075684001ND
2019-01-087075827002ND
2019-01-157076591001ND
2019-01-227077223001ND
2019-01-287077683001ND
2019-01-287077683002ND
2019-02-067078576002ND
2019-04-027084211001ND
2019-04-027084211003ND
2019-04-087084930001ND
2019-04-087084930002ND
2019-05-077088231001ND
2019-05-077088231002ND
2019-05-087088556001ND
2019-05-137089227001ND
2019-07-087096670001ND
2019-08-217062227001-POCND
2019-09-0370103457001-POCND
2019-09-0370103457002-POCND
2019-09-0970104153001ND
2019-09-0970104153002-POCND
2019-10-0170106790001ND
2019-10-1570108388001ND
2019-10-2870109853001ND