Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

North Hunt Special Utility District

NOTE: North Hunt Special Utility District purchases water from City of Commerce which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Commerce.

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.

 

8

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

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

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 Hunt Special Utility District purchases water from City of Commerce which is required to test for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Commerce.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-14Q1806236003ND
2018-06-04Q1822047006ND
2019-02-21Q1907743006ND
2020-08-04Q2030361003ND
2021-01-27Q2102032001ND
2021-01-27Q2102032002ND
2022-10-26Q2232338005ND
2023-02-15Q2306243007ND