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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Roslyn WD

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

 

120

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND300ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND140ND
2017ND210ND
2018ND250ND
2019ND220ND

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
2014-01-081401261-002-POCSND
2014-02-111402494-002-POCSND
2014-03-271403J26-002-POCSND
2014-04-141404A24-002-POCSND
2014-05-081405607-002-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-002-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-003-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-005-POCSND
2014-05-161405C18-004-POCSND
2014-06-051406390-002-POCSND
2014-06-121406931-002-POCSND
2014-06-171406B96-002-POCSND
2014-06-241406H35-002-POCSND
2014-07-081407453-002-POCSND
2014-07-211407E33-002-POCSND
2014-07-231407G36-002-POCSND
2014-07-301407L12-002-POCSND
2014-08-051408195-002-POCSND
2014-08-121408739-002-POCSND
2014-08-131408868-002-POCSND
2014-08-211408F37-002-POCSND
2014-08-251408H19-002-POCSND
2014-09-041409267-002-POCSND
2014-09-111409890-002-POCSND
2014-09-181409E16-001-POCSND
2014-10-091410647-002-POCSND
2014-10-221410E31-002-POCSND
2014-11-101411665-002-POCSND
2014-11-211411E96-002-POCSND
2014-12-051412410-002-POCSND
2015-01-151501871-002-POCSND
2015-02-101502633-001-POCSND
2015-04-161504C10-002-POCSND
2015-04-231504I52-001-POCSND
2015-04-231504I52-002-POCSND
2015-05-011505031-002-POCSND
2015-05-281505K32-002-POCSND
2015-06-091506722-002-POCSND
2016-01-131604L15-001ND
2016-02-111602918-001ND
2016-02-111602918-002ND
2016-05-031605147-001ND
2016-06-221606L82-001ND
2016-07-181607D67-002ND
2016-07-191607E94-002ND
2016-08-161608E60-002ND
2016-08-231608L92-002ND
2016-09-201609F92-001ND
2016-09-291609P72-001ND
2016-10-11701661001ND
2016-11-15704522005-POCND
2016-12-14706837002ND
2017-01-04708255003-POCND
2017-02-157011343003ND
2017-03-087012866003-POCSND
2017-04-067015144002ND
2017-04-197016340004-POCND
2017-04-197016340004ND
2017-05-107018231002ND
2017-05-127018516002-POCND
2017-06-067020424002-POCND
2017-07-207024744002-POCSND
2017-07-217024907002-POCND
2017-08-167027363002-POCND
2017-08-237027973002-POCND
2017-08-287028346002-POCND
2017-09-077029110002-POCND
2017-09-287031248001-POCND
2017-10-127032735002-POCND
2017-11-137035525002-POCND
2017-11-167035924002-POCND
2017-12-017036961002-POCND
2017-12-017036957002-POCND
2018-01-117040222002-POCND
2018-01-197040884002-POCND
2018-02-087042437002ND
2018-02-277043967002-POCND
2018-03-087044819001ND
2018-03-137045126002ND
2018-04-057047399001-POCND
2018-05-077050698002ND
2018-05-307053122001ND
2018-06-127054579002ND
2018-06-277056403002ND
2018-07-177058450002ND
2018-07-197058782002-POCND
2018-07-267059540002-POCND
2018-08-037060299002-POCND
2018-08-077060662002-POCND
2018-08-097060947002-POCND
2018-09-177065090001ND
2018-09-197065305001ND
2018-10-177068227002ND
2018-10-257069045002ND
2018-11-157071210002ND
2018-11-287072146002ND
2018-12-047072741002ND
2018-12-127073713001ND
2019-01-087075818002ND
2019-01-237077366001ND
2019-02-147079548002ND
2019-02-157079807002ND
2019-03-047081159002ND
2019-04-117085552002ND
2019-04-257087227002ND
2019-05-077088362002ND
2019-06-047092008002ND
2019-06-137093546002ND
2019-06-147093737003ND
2019-07-117097203001ND
2019-07-257098830002-POCND
2019-08-0670100015002-POCND
2019-08-1470101279002ND
2019-09-1070104226002ND
2019-09-1270104647001ND
2019-09-2470106023002ND
2019-10-0970107824002-POCND
2019-10-1670108611002ND
2019-11-1370111657002ND
2019-11-1470111831002ND