Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

City of Leon Valley

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.

 

47

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND80ND
2019ND70ND
2020ND80ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND80ND

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
2018-01-23AE09914ND
2018-03-02AE16656ND
2018-04-26AE24190ND
2018-04-26AE24188ND
2018-08-17AE37649ND
2018-08-17AE37653ND
2018-10-26AE44764ND
2018-10-26AE44766ND
2019-03-01AE56915ND
2019-03-01AE56919ND
2019-04-25AE63758ND
2019-07-19AE75356ND
2019-07-19AE75358ND
2019-10-09AE86133ND
2019-10-09AE86135ND
2020-01-30AE96323ND
2020-03-25AF04528ND
2020-04-09AF06303ND
2020-04-09AF06305ND
2020-07-08AF18899ND
2020-07-08AF18901ND
2020-11-02AF32838ND
2020-11-02AF32840ND
2021-01-14AF39552ND
2021-01-14AF39558ND
2021-04-01AF48854ND
2021-05-13AF53869ND
2021-08-03AF64491ND
2021-08-03AF64493ND
2021-12-09AF78497ND
2021-12-09AF78505ND
2022-02-14AF84680ND
2022-02-14AF84682ND
2022-04-28AF94837ND
2022-04-28AF94841ND
2022-07-15AG04971ND
2022-07-15AG04973ND
2022-10-18AG17425ND
2022-10-18AG17427ND
2023-02-17AG29691ND
2023-02-17AG29695ND
2023-04-21AG37706ND
2023-04-21AG37738ND
2023-08-14AG52400ND
2023-08-14AG52408ND
2023-10-06AG58929ND
2023-10-06AG58931ND