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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

San Antonio Water System

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

 

231

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND290ND
2015ND280ND
2016ND420ND
2017ND520ND
2018ND410ND
2019ND390ND

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
2014-01-13AC38543ND
2014-01-13AC38545ND
2014-01-13AC38557ND
2014-01-14AC38772ND
2014-03-31AC48706ND
2014-03-31AC48704ND
2014-03-31AC48700ND
2014-03-31AC48708ND
2014-05-13AC53983ND
2014-05-13AC53979ND
2014-05-16AC54447ND
2014-05-16AC54437ND
2014-06-30AC58420ND
2014-07-29AC61365ND
2014-07-29AC61367ND
2014-07-29AC61351ND
2014-07-30AC61541ND
2014-07-31AC61762ND
2014-09-02AC65443ND
2014-09-29AC68388ND
2014-09-29AC68392ND
2014-09-30AC68574ND
2014-09-30AC68572ND
2014-09-30AC68570ND
2014-09-30AC68576ND
2014-10-01AC68680ND
2014-11-25AC72982ND
2014-12-02AC73351ND
2014-12-03AC73484ND
2015-03-05AC82896ND
2015-04-02AC87119ND
2015-04-02AC87121ND
2015-04-02AC87123ND
2015-04-02AC87125ND
2015-06-03AC94441ND
2015-06-04AC94629ND
2015-07-07AC98577ND
2015-07-30AD01822ND
2015-07-30AD01796ND
2015-07-30AD01808ND
2015-07-30AD01818ND
2015-07-30AD01784ND
2015-07-30AD01800ND
2015-09-28AD08800ND
2015-09-28AD08796ND
2015-09-28AD08794ND
2015-09-29AD09011ND
2015-09-29AD08981ND
2015-09-29AD08983ND
2015-09-29AD08973ND
2015-10-28AD12024ND
2015-10-28AD11992ND
2015-10-28AD12012ND
2015-10-28AD12022ND
2015-11-23AD14447ND
2015-11-23AD14445ND
2015-11-23AD14449ND
2016-01-13AD17917ND
2016-01-13AD17919ND
2016-01-14AD18237ND
2016-04-05AD31830ND
2016-04-05AD31832ND
2016-04-05AD31834ND
2016-04-05AD31836ND
2016-04-06AD32103ND
2016-04-06AD32105ND
2016-04-06AD32101ND
2016-04-06AD32099ND
2016-04-07AD32294ND
2016-04-07AD32300ND
2016-04-07AD32292ND
2016-04-07AD32302ND
2016-04-07AD32298ND
2016-04-07AD32296ND
2016-06-01AD38979ND
2016-06-28AD42163ND
2016-06-28AD42161ND
2016-09-01AD47698ND
2016-09-01AD47696ND
2016-09-01AD47692ND
2016-10-06AD52690ND
2016-10-06AD52686ND
2016-10-31AD55514ND
2016-10-31AD55512ND
2016-10-31AD55516ND
2016-11-02AD56180ND
2016-11-02AD56178ND
2016-11-02AD56182ND
2016-11-03AD56482ND
2016-11-03AD56476ND
2016-11-04AD56869ND
2016-11-28AD59210ND
2016-11-28AD59204ND
2016-11-28AD59206ND
2016-11-28AD59208ND
2016-11-28AD59196ND
2016-11-29AD59399ND
2016-11-29AD59387ND
2016-11-29AD59389ND
2017-01-30AD67535ND
2017-01-30AD67551ND
2017-01-30AD67537ND
2017-02-01AD68125ND
2017-02-01AD68107ND
2017-02-02AD68417ND
2017-03-06AD73465ND
2017-03-06AD73473ND
2017-03-06AD73483ND
2017-03-06AD73467ND
2017-03-29AD77480ND
2017-03-29AD77474ND
2017-03-29AD77476ND
2017-03-29AD77478ND
2017-03-29AD77482ND
2017-03-30AD77778ND
2017-03-30AD77776ND
2017-03-30AD77774ND
2017-04-25AD80968ND
2017-05-24AD85476ND
2017-07-06AD88490ND
2017-07-06AD88494ND
2017-07-06AD88492ND
2017-09-11AD95433ND
2017-09-11AD95469ND
2017-09-11AD95465ND
2017-10-17AE01129ND
2017-10-18AE01382ND
2017-10-18AE01392ND
2017-10-18AE01384ND
2017-12-04AE06576ND
2017-12-04AE06580ND
2017-12-04AE06582ND
2017-12-05AE06802ND
2017-12-05AE06804ND
2017-12-05AE06806ND
2017-12-06AE06998ND
2017-12-06AE06996ND
2017-12-06AE06994ND
2017-12-06AE07000ND
2017-12-07AE07237ND
2017-12-07AE07229ND
2017-12-07AE07235ND
2017-12-07AE07233ND
2017-12-07AE07239ND
2017-12-07AE07231ND
2017-12-08AE07427ND
2017-12-13AE07670ND
2017-12-13AE07678ND
2017-12-13AE07672ND
2017-12-13AE07676ND
2017-12-20AE07870ND
2018-03-01AE16352ND
2018-03-01AE16364ND
2018-03-01AE16374ND
2018-03-15AE18622ND
2018-03-26AE19940ND
2018-03-26AE19962ND
2018-05-09AE25777ND
2018-05-10AE25963ND
2018-06-06AE28871ND
2018-06-06AE28877ND
2018-07-02AE32261ND
2018-07-19AE33971ND
2018-07-23AE34141ND
2018-09-26AE41772ND
2018-09-26AE41722ND
2018-09-26AE41718ND
2018-09-26AE41764ND
2018-09-26AE41770ND
2018-09-27AE41964ND
2018-09-27AE42030ND
2018-09-27AE42034ND
2018-09-27AE42032ND
2018-09-27AE41978ND
2018-09-27AE42036ND
2018-09-27AE41976ND
2018-10-05AE42822ND
2018-11-19AE46510ND
2018-11-19AE46514ND
2018-11-19AE46508ND
2018-11-19AE46516ND
2018-11-19AE46512ND
2018-11-19AE46506ND
2018-11-20AE46675ND
2018-12-07AE48412ND
2018-12-07AE48420ND
2018-12-07AE48418ND
2018-12-07AE48410ND
2018-12-07AE48416ND
2018-12-13AE48854ND
2018-12-13AE48852ND
2018-12-13AE48836ND
2019-01-29AE51987ND
2019-01-29AE51989ND
2019-01-30AE52202ND
2019-01-31AE52473ND
2019-01-31AE52469ND
2019-01-31AE52471ND
2019-03-07AE57602ND
2019-03-07AE57628ND
2019-03-28AE60470ND
2019-03-28AE60468ND
2019-03-28AE60466ND
2019-04-23AE63404ND
2019-04-23AE63402ND
2019-04-23AE63398ND
2019-04-25AE63728ND
2019-05-17AE67160ND
2019-05-21AE67410ND
2019-05-21AE67412ND
2019-05-21AE67414ND
2019-05-21AE67424ND
2019-08-13AE78341ND
2019-08-13AE78339ND
2019-10-31AE88168ND
2019-11-13AE89135ND
2019-11-13AE89133ND
2019-11-14AE89282ND
2019-11-14AE89286ND
2019-11-25AE90444ND
2019-11-25AE90442ND
2019-11-25AE90440ND
2019-11-25AE90446ND
2019-11-26AE90617ND
2019-11-26AE90619ND
2019-12-10AE91927ND
2019-12-10AE91921ND
2019-12-10AE91925ND
2019-12-10AE91923ND
2019-12-11AE92160ND
2019-12-11AE92162ND