Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Bethany Special Utility District

NOTE: Bethany Special Utility District purchases water from Johnson County SUD which is required to test for vinyl chloride. Sample information shown below was taken by Johnson County SUD.

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.

 

61

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

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

NOTE: Bethany Special Utility District purchases water from Johnson County SUD which is required to test for vinyl chloride. Sample information shown below was taken by Johnson County SUD.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-02-21Q1807323007ND
2018-02-21Q1807323001ND
2018-12-10Q1850236023ND
2018-12-10Q1850236021ND
2018-12-10Q1850236018ND
2018-12-10Q1850236017ND
2018-12-10Q1850236014ND
2018-12-10Q1850236013ND
2018-12-10Q1850236011ND
2018-12-10Q1850236009ND
2019-02-20Q1907529003ND
2019-02-20Q1907529004ND
2019-02-20Q1907529007ND
2019-02-20Q1907529019ND
2019-02-20Q1907529023ND
2019-02-20Q1907529024ND
2019-02-20Q1907529027ND
2019-05-21Q1927429001ND
2019-05-21Q1927429005ND
2019-05-21Q1927429003ND
2020-01-28Q2003074027ND
2020-01-28Q2003074029ND
2020-01-28Q2003074031ND
2020-01-28Q2003074033ND
2020-05-05Q2017189004ND
2020-06-17Q2024616005ND
2020-06-17Q2024616007ND
2020-10-07Q2039319006ND
2020-10-07Q2039319008ND
2020-10-07Q2039319010ND
2021-03-04Q2105758004ND
2021-03-31Q2108142010ND
2021-03-31Q2108142031ND
2021-03-31Q2108142029ND
2021-03-31Q2108142022ND
2021-03-31Q2108142018ND
2021-03-31Q2108142016ND
2021-03-31Q2108142014ND
2021-03-31Q2108142012ND
2021-03-31Q2108142020ND
2021-06-07Q2114736006ND
2021-09-17Q2125644009ND
2022-05-04Q2213477001ND
2022-06-13Q2216387002ND
2022-06-13Q2216387004ND
2022-06-13Q2216387006ND
2022-10-27Q2232469027ND
2022-10-27Q2232469035ND
2022-10-27Q2232469033ND
2022-10-27Q2232469029ND
2022-10-27Q2232469025ND
2022-10-27Q2232469023ND
2023-04-06Q2312829003ND
2023-10-26Q2346224018ND
2023-10-26Q2346224020ND
2023-10-26Q2346224022ND
2023-10-26Q2346224024ND
2023-10-26Q2346224034ND
2023-10-26Q2346224036ND
2023-10-26Q2346224038ND
2023-11-21Q2350132003ND