Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Vinyl chloride

Purcellville, Town of

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.

 

54

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND80ND
2019ND100ND
2020ND60ND
2021ND90ND
2022ND100ND
2023ND110ND

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
2018-02-27E180100342ND
2018-05-23E180303850ND
2018-05-30E180303851ND
2018-08-21E180601975ND
2018-08-28E180601971ND
2018-08-28E180601981ND
2018-11-19E180901410ND
2018-12-11E180901404ND
2019-02-19E181104004ND
2019-02-19E181104015ND
2019-02-19E181104016ND
2019-03-21E190302948ND
2019-03-21E190302957ND
2019-05-29E190304839ND
2019-05-29E190304846ND
2019-09-10E190900749ND
2019-11-25E191000255ND
2019-12-04E191000266ND
2020-02-25E191203663ND
2020-05-20E200302298ND
2020-06-16E200600508ND
2020-08-11E200601275ND
2020-10-19E200906213ND
2020-11-16E200906214ND
2021-03-15E210100113ND
2021-05-17E210400628ND
2021-05-24E210400643ND
2021-08-23E210701941ND
2021-08-23E210701945ND
2021-08-23E210705571ND
2021-11-30E210901978ND
2021-11-30E210901979ND
2021-11-30E211100054ND
2022-02-23E211206105ND
2022-02-23E211201665ND
2022-02-23E211201664ND
2022-02-23E211201666ND
2022-05-23E220303695ND
2022-05-23E220303694ND
2022-06-29E220607528ND
2022-08-22E220607516ND
2022-11-14E220904387ND
2022-11-14E220904386ND
2023-02-13E221203953ND
2023-05-01E230305398ND
2023-05-01E230305409ND
2023-05-01E230305414ND
2023-05-17E230305386ND
2023-05-17E230305403ND
2023-05-17E230305420ND
2023-05-17E230305423ND
2023-08-28E230603381ND
2023-11-01E230904714ND
2023-12-07E230903619ND