Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Hillcrest 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.

 

53

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND110ND
2019ND50ND
2020ND60ND
2021ND100ND
2022ND140ND
2023ND70ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

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
2018-02-15BZ90400POCSND
2018-02-15BZ90401POCSND
2018-02-15BZ90403POCSND
2018-02-15BZ90402POCSND
2018-05-10CA44945POCSND
2018-05-10CA44947POCSND
2018-05-10CA44946POCSND
2018-05-10CA44944POCSND
2018-08-24CB18710POCSND
2018-08-24CB18711POCSND
2018-11-27CC03591POCSND
2019-02-20CC55434POCSND
2019-05-15CD15020POCSND
2019-08-19CD87714POCSND
2019-11-07CE56416POCSND
2019-11-19CE63530POCSND
2020-02-06CF28022POCSND
2020-05-07CF91331POCSND
2020-07-10CG31936POCSND
2020-11-04CH09416POCSND
2020-11-04CH09417POCSND
2020-11-04CH09414POCSND
2021-02-11CH61404POCSND
2021-02-11CH61402POCSND
2021-02-11CH61401POCSND
2021-02-11CH61403POCSND
2021-08-27CJ41854ND
2021-09-27CJ41855POCSND
2021-09-27CJ41853POCSND
2021-11-16CJ79247POCSND
2021-11-16CJ79245POCSND
2021-11-16CJ79248POCSND
2022-02-07CK31341POCSND
2022-02-07CK31338POCSND
2022-02-07CK313450POCSND
2022-02-07CK31339POCSND
2022-05-16CL31372POCSND
2022-05-16CL31374POCSND
2022-08-19CM10440POCSND
2022-08-19CM10441POCSND
2022-08-19CM10442POCSND
2022-08-19CM10438POCSND
2022-11-10CM81980POCSND
2022-11-10CM81981POCSND
2022-11-10CM81979POCSND
2022-11-10CM81978POCSND
2023-02-17CN45547POCSND
2023-02-17CN45548POCSND
2023-02-17CN45549POCSND
2023-08-17CO77342POCSND
2023-08-17CO77345POCSND
2023-08-17CO77343POCSND
2023-08-17CO77344POCSND