Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

North Cherokee Water Supply Corporation

NOTE: North Cherokee Water Supply Corporation purchases water from City of Jacksonville which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Jacksonville.

PCBs are synthetic chemicals banned in the U.S. since the 1970s because of their toxicity. PCBs contaminate water by leaching from landfills and hazardous waste clean-up sites. PCBs increase the risk of cancer. Read More.

Up until the late 1970s, PCBs were used widely as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment. Currently, PCBs are widely detected in the general population. They build up and are stored in fatty tissues and fluids such as breast milk, and can be passed on to fetuses and infants during pregnancy and breast-feeding. In human epidemiological studies, PCBs have been associated with an elevated risk of breast and prostate cancers. Infants and children with higher PCB exposures during development score lower on measures of neurological function, ranging from decreased IQ scores to� reduced hearing sensitivity. PCBs also affect hormones and damage the immune system.

 

21

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND10ND
2020ND20ND
2021ND70ND
2022ND10ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.09 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.09 ppb for PCBs 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): 0.5 ppb

The legal limit for PCBs, established in 1991, 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 PCB exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

NOTE: North Cherokee Water Supply Corporation purchases water from City of Jacksonville which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Jacksonville.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-09-13Q1836630001ND
2018-11-12Q1845099005ND
2018-11-12Q1845099009ND
2018-11-12Q1845099013ND
2018-11-12Q1845099017ND
2019-01-30Q1904613021ND
2019-07-02Q1941674005ND
2020-01-27Q2002874010ND
2020-01-27Q2002874019ND
2021-07-12Q2118022002ND
2021-07-12Q2118022006ND
2021-07-12Q2118022005ND
2021-07-12Q2118022004ND
2021-07-12Q2118022003ND
2021-07-12Q2118022001ND
2021-10-12Q2128275001ND
2022-01-10Q2200509001ND
2022-06-13Q2216379002ND
2022-08-25Q2225372003ND
2022-12-01Q2235911011ND
2023-01-30Q2304172004ND