Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

City of Sansom Park

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.

 

40

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND60ND
2019ND60ND
2020ND60ND
2021ND80ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND60ND

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
2018-03-28Q1812846004ND
2018-03-28Q1812846002ND
2018-03-28Q1812846009ND
2018-03-28Q1812846005ND
2018-03-28Q1812846007ND
2018-10-25Q1842722002ND
2019-05-02Q1918146002ND
2019-05-02Q1918146018ND
2019-05-02Q1918146020ND
2019-05-02Q1918146022ND
2019-05-02Q1918146024ND
2019-05-02Q1918146026ND
2020-01-21Q2002279009ND
2020-01-21Q2002279015ND
2020-01-21Q2002279013ND
2020-01-21Q2002279011ND
2020-09-01Q2034833005ND
2020-09-01Q2034833007ND
2021-03-09Q2106121017ND
2021-03-09Q2106121015ND
2021-03-09Q2106121011ND
2021-03-09Q2106121009ND
2021-03-09Q2106121007ND
2021-03-09Q2106121013ND
2021-09-14Q2124999006ND
2021-12-14Q2135515001ND
2022-03-14Q2208529005ND
2022-05-05Q2213616004ND
2022-10-13Q2231074005ND
2022-10-13Q2231074011ND
2022-10-13Q2231074009ND
2022-10-13Q2231074007ND
2022-10-13Q2231074003ND
2022-10-13Q2231074001ND
2023-04-13Q2313713005ND
2023-08-15Q2334087010ND
2023-08-15Q2334087012ND
2023-08-15Q2334087014ND
2023-08-15Q2334087016ND
2023-08-15Q2334087018ND