Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

West Gregg Special Utility District

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.

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND40ND
2020ND30ND
2021ND30ND
2022ND50ND
2023ND40ND

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
2018-09-13Q1836486004ND
2018-09-13Q1836486002ND
2018-12-05Q1849734003ND
2019-02-14Q1906942006ND
2019-02-14Q1906942010ND
2019-03-28Q1912650001ND
2019-03-28Q1912650003ND
2020-01-09Q2000956014ND
2020-01-09Q2000956016ND
2020-01-09Q2000956018ND
2021-06-15Q2115566006ND
2021-06-15Q2115566008ND
2021-06-15Q2115566004ND
2022-03-14Q2208516003ND
2022-08-17Q2224332010ND
2022-08-17Q2224332012ND
2022-08-17Q2224332014ND
2022-12-08Q2237012003ND
2023-03-07Q2308919006ND
2023-03-07Q2308919008ND
2023-03-07Q2308919010ND
2023-07-19Q2328453002ND