Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Myrtle Springs 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.

 

27

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND30ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND40ND
2022ND40ND
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
2018-06-28Q1825924020ND
2018-06-28Q1825924022ND
2018-06-28Q1825924017ND
2019-08-26Q1959383002ND
2019-08-26Q1959383004ND
2019-08-26Q1959383006ND
2020-03-23Q2012172009ND
2020-05-21Q2020401006ND
2020-08-12Q2032124004ND
2020-08-12Q2032124006ND
2020-08-12Q2032124008ND
2020-08-12Q2032124019ND
2020-11-20Q2046941001ND
2021-06-29Q2116915007ND
2021-06-29Q2116915013ND
2021-06-29Q2116915011ND
2021-06-29Q2116915009ND
2022-06-09Q2216228001ND
2022-06-09Q2216228003ND
2022-06-09Q2216228005ND
2022-06-09Q2216228007ND
2023-04-19Q2314546005ND
2023-04-19Q2314546007ND
2023-04-19Q2314546009ND
2023-04-19Q2314546011ND
2023-09-06Q2338438003ND
2023-12-06Q2352167001ND