Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Mountain Regional Water Special Service District

PCBs are synthetic chemicals banned in the U.S. since the 1970s because of their toxicity. PCBs contaminate water by leaching from landfills and hazardous waste clean-up sites. PCBs increase the risk of cancer. Read More.

Up until the late 1970s, PCBs were used widely as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical equipment. Currently, PCBs are widely detected in the general population. They build up and are stored in fatty tissues and fluids such as breast milk, and can be passed on to fetuses and infants during pregnancy and breast-feeding. In human epidemiological studies, PCBs have been associated with an elevated risk of breast and prostate cancers. Infants and children with higher PCB exposures during development score lower on measures of neurological function, ranging from decreased IQ scores to� reduced hearing sensitivity. PCBs also affect hormones and damage the immune system.

 

70

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND70ND
2019ND210ND
2020ND150ND
2021N/A00N/A
2022ND90ND
2023ND180ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.09 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.09 ppb for PCBs 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): 0.5 ppb

The legal limit for PCBs, established in 1991, 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 PCB exposure.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Result
2018-03-20ND
2018-06-06ND
2018-06-06ND
2018-06-20ND
2018-08-23ND
2018-09-05ND
2018-10-23ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-03ND
2019-01-24ND
2019-01-24ND
2019-02-25ND
2019-02-25ND
2019-02-25ND
2019-03-20ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-06-27ND
2019-11-07ND
2019-11-14ND
2020-02-27ND
2020-03-24ND
2020-07-14ND
2020-09-21ND
2020-12-04ND
2020-12-04ND
2020-12-04ND
2020-12-04ND
2020-12-04ND
2020-12-22ND
2020-12-22ND
2020-12-22ND
2020-12-22ND
2020-12-22ND
2020-12-22ND
2022-02-17ND
2022-05-04ND
2022-05-05ND
2022-08-04ND
2022-08-04ND
2022-08-04ND
2022-08-04ND
2022-09-07ND
2022-12-06ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-07-11ND
2023-11-06ND
2023-11-06ND
2023-11-06ND
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-11ND
2023-12-11ND