Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Goodsprings Water Supply Corporation

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.

 

25

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND40ND
2019ND40ND
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

Date Lab ID Result
2018-05-17Q1820171004ND
2018-05-17Q1820171005ND
2018-05-17Q1820171008ND
2018-05-17Q1820171001ND
2019-01-03Q1900156001ND
2019-01-03Q1900156007ND
2019-01-03Q1900156012ND
2019-01-03Q1900156018ND
2020-03-11Q2010297009ND
2020-06-17Q2024667010ND
2020-06-17Q2024667012ND
2020-12-17Q2050081009ND
2020-12-17Q2050081007ND
2021-03-04Q2105807004ND
2021-11-12Q2131822005ND
2021-11-12Q2131822009ND
2021-11-12Q2131822011ND
2022-03-03Q2207402002ND
2022-05-12Q2214292001ND
2022-05-12Q2214292003ND
2022-05-12Q2214292005ND
2023-02-16Q2306539005ND
2023-07-06Q2326236018ND
2023-07-06Q2326236020ND
2023-07-06Q2326236022ND