Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Fayette Water Supply Corporation West

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.

 

31

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND50ND
2020ND50ND
2021ND50ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND50ND

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
2018-03-06AE16964ND
2018-03-06AE16972ND
2018-03-06AE16974ND
2018-03-06AE16960ND
2018-04-24AE23735ND
2018-04-24AE23739ND
2019-03-19AE59043ND
2019-03-19AE59045ND
2019-03-19AE59047ND
2019-03-19AE59049ND
2019-03-19AE59053ND
2020-02-12AE98164ND
2020-02-12AE98168ND
2020-02-12AE98170ND
2020-04-13AF06401ND
2020-07-08AF18616ND
2021-03-08AF45674ND
2021-03-08AF45678ND
2021-04-28AF51530ND
2021-04-28AF51532ND
2021-04-28AF51534ND
2022-02-14AF84596ND
2022-05-31AF98824ND
2022-05-31AF98826ND
2022-10-12AG16849ND
2022-10-12AG16863ND
2023-03-09Q2309600001ND
2023-03-09Q2309600003ND
2023-03-09Q2309600005ND
2023-04-04AG35371ND
2023-04-04AG35379ND