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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

City of Conroe

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

69

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND70ND
2015ND100ND
2016ND100ND
2017ND120ND
2018ND180ND
2019ND120ND

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-04-09AC49949ND
2014-04-09AC49939ND
2014-04-09AC49941ND
2014-04-09AC49943ND
2014-05-28AC55337ND
2014-05-29AC55486ND
2014-05-29AC55490ND
2015-01-21AC77053ND
2015-01-21AC77055ND
2015-01-21AC77049ND
2015-01-21AC77045ND
2015-01-21AC77051ND
2015-01-21AC77057ND
2015-01-21AC77091ND
2015-01-21AC77047ND
2015-01-21AC77059ND
2015-01-21AC77061ND
2016-01-11AD17314ND
2016-01-11AD17316ND
2016-01-11AD17332ND
2016-01-11AD17346ND
2016-01-11AD17350ND
2016-01-11AD17330ND
2016-01-11AD17312ND
2016-01-11AD17342ND
2016-01-11AD17318ND
2016-01-11AD17324ND
2017-01-09AD63583ND
2017-01-09AD63611ND
2017-01-09AD63589ND
2017-04-11AD79236ND
2017-04-11AD79240ND
2017-04-11AD79238ND
2017-05-18AD84887ND
2017-05-18AD84885ND
2017-05-18AD84891ND
2017-05-18AD84881ND
2017-05-18AD84883ND
2017-05-18AD84889ND
2018-01-10AE08679ND
2018-01-10AE08677ND
2018-01-10AE08675ND
2018-01-10AE08633ND
2018-01-10AE08635ND
2018-01-10AE08669ND
2018-01-10AE08671ND
2018-01-10AE08673ND
2018-01-10AE08691ND
2018-01-10AE08681ND
2018-03-08AE17593ND
2018-03-08AE17549ND
2018-05-08AE25593ND
2018-05-08AE25595ND
2018-07-02AE32217ND
2018-07-02AE32255ND
2018-10-01AE42247ND
2018-10-01AE42245ND
2019-03-11AE57865ND
2019-03-11AE57839ND
2019-03-11AE57841ND
2019-03-11AE57861ND
2019-03-11AE57851ND
2019-03-11AE57843ND
2019-04-08AE61428ND
2019-04-08AE61442ND
2019-04-08AE61424ND
2019-04-08AE61422ND
2019-04-08AE61426ND
2019-10-15AE86661ND