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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Horsham Water&sewer Authority

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

 

106

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND230ND
2015ND240ND
2016ND220ND
2017ND160ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND130ND

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
2014-01-09AE19948ND
2014-01-09AE19956ND
2014-01-09AE19959ND
2014-01-24AE21287ND
2014-02-19AE24091ND
2014-02-19AE24093ND
2014-02-19AE24094ND
2014-02-19AE24099ND
2014-02-19AE24100ND
2014-02-20AE24092ND
2014-04-16AE29642ND
2014-04-16AE29643ND
2014-04-16AE29635ND
2014-04-16AE29638ND
2014-04-16AE29639ND
2014-07-23AE41288ND
2014-07-23AE41289ND
2014-08-13AE43999ND
2014-08-13AE44001ND
2014-08-13AE44009ND
2014-10-08AE51808ND
2014-10-09AE51797ND
2014-10-09AE51805ND
2015-01-1612286571ND
2015-01-1612286593ND
2015-01-1612286619ND
2015-03-0412514933ND
2015-03-0412514954ND
2015-03-0412514975ND
2015-03-0412514996ND
2015-03-0412515017ND
2015-03-0412515038ND
2015-03-0412515059ND
2015-03-0412515080ND
2015-03-0412515101ND
2015-04-1612632985ND
2015-04-1612633027ND
2015-04-1612633048ND
2015-04-2312633006ND
2015-07-1513012137ND
2015-07-1513012179ND
2015-07-1713012116ND
2015-07-1713012158ND
2015-10-1313388710ND
2015-10-1413388647ND
2015-10-1413388668ND
2015-10-1413388689ND
2016-01-1213752672ND
2016-01-1213752693ND
2016-01-1213752714ND
2016-02-1613869794ND
2016-03-1613985438ND
2016-03-1613985459ND
2016-03-1613985495ND
2016-03-1613985522ND
2016-03-1613985543ND
2016-03-1613985564ND
2016-03-1713985417ND
2016-03-1713985480ND
2016-04-2614102741ND
2016-05-1714250255ND
2016-05-1714250276ND
2016-05-1714250297ND
2016-07-1914569333ND
2016-07-1914569354ND
2016-07-1914569375ND
2016-10-2615075515ND
2016-10-2615075536ND
2016-10-2615075557ND
2017-01-0515517118ND
2017-01-0515517076ND
2017-01-2515517097ND
2017-02-1415655265ND
2017-02-1415655286ND
2017-02-1415655307ND
2017-02-1415655244ND
2017-03-3015795466ND
2017-04-0515936815ND
2017-04-0515936836ND
2017-04-0515936857ND
2017-04-1815936794ND
2017-08-0916565742ND
2017-08-1616565700ND
2017-08-1616565721ND
2017-10-1016880011ND
2018-01-30AF74814ND
2018-01-30AF74813ND
2018-02-13AF75932ND
2018-03-23AF79016ND
2018-06-22AF86999ND
2018-08-30AF94269ND
2018-10-03AF96985ND
2018-12-27AG04620ND
2019-02-11AG07771ND
2019-02-11AG07772ND
2019-02-11AG07773ND
2019-02-11AG07775ND
2019-02-27AG09179ND
2019-04-11AG13046ND
2019-04-11AG13047ND
2019-05-09AG16016ND
2019-05-09AG16019ND
2019-05-23AG16891ND
2019-08-21AG28299ND
2019-09-18AG31924ND
2019-09-18AG31925ND