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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Cedarburg L & W Commission

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

 

136

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

35

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND130ND
20150.0963 ppb247ND - 0.430 ppb
20160.149 ppb237ND - 0.750 ppb
20170.120 ppb258ND - 0.530 ppb
20180.0738 ppb245ND - 0.520 ppb
20190.119 ppb278ND - 0.550 ppb

ppb = parts per billion

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

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
2014-03-04772846ND
2014-03-04772841ND
2014-03-04772844ND
2014-05-12785096ND
2014-05-12785091ND
2014-05-12785094ND
2014-08-19811812ND
2014-08-19811810ND
2014-08-19811816ND
2014-08-19811815ND
2014-12-01833295ND
2014-12-01833292ND
2014-12-01833297ND
2015-03-10847454ND
2015-03-10847452ND
2015-03-10847447ND
2015-03-10847449ND
2015-03-10847457ND
2015-03-10847450ND
2015-06-01862720ND
2015-06-01862715ND
2015-06-01862717ND
2015-06-018627180.220 ppb
2015-06-018627190.270 ppb
2015-06-018627160.430 ppb
2015-07-28873581ND
2015-07-28873576ND
2015-07-28873579ND
2015-07-28873578ND
2015-07-288735800.330 ppb
2015-07-288735770.380 ppb
2015-10-05887229ND
2015-10-05887224ND
2015-10-05887225ND
2015-10-05887227ND
2015-10-058872260.310 ppb
2015-10-058872280.370 ppb
2016-03-08908903ND
2016-03-08908895ND
2016-03-08908897ND
2016-03-08908899ND
2016-03-08908898ND
2016-03-089089010.360 ppb
2016-05-16921447ND
2016-05-16921443ND
2016-05-16921445ND
2016-05-169214460.470 ppb
2016-05-169214440.610 ppb
2016-08-15939240ND
2016-08-15939235ND
2016-08-15939236ND
2016-08-15939238ND
2016-08-159392390.350 ppb
2016-08-159392370.430 ppb
2016-10-17953742ND
2016-10-17953737ND
2016-10-17953738ND
2016-10-17953740ND
2016-10-179537410.450 ppb
2016-10-179537390.750 ppb
2017-01-16969880ND
2017-01-16969877ND
2017-01-16969884ND
2017-01-16969904ND
2017-01-16969887ND
2017-01-169699060.200 ppb
2017-01-169699050.260 ppb
2017-04-12982954ND
2017-04-12982948ND
2017-04-12982949ND
2017-04-12982951ND
2017-04-129829520.340 ppb
2017-04-129829500.520 ppb
2017-07-241006158ND
2017-07-241006154ND
2017-07-241006155ND
2017-07-241006159ND
2017-07-2410061570.340 ppb
2017-07-2410061560.530 ppb
2017-11-131029331ND
2017-11-131029326ND
2017-11-131029327ND
2017-11-131029329ND
2017-11-1310293300.330 ppb
2017-11-1310293280.480 ppb
2018-01-111036954ND
2018-01-111036953ND
2018-01-111036949ND
2018-01-111036950ND
2018-01-111036952ND
2018-01-1110369510.410 ppb
2018-04-161050258ND
2018-04-161050257ND
2018-04-161050253ND
2018-04-161050254ND
2018-04-161050255ND
2018-04-1610502560.520 ppb
2018-07-311070622ND
2018-07-311070617ND
2018-07-311070618ND
2018-07-311070619ND
2018-07-3110706210.280 ppb
2018-07-3110706200.330 ppb
2018-11-061091353ND
2018-11-061091352ND
2018-11-061091348ND
2018-11-061091349ND
2018-11-061091350ND
2018-11-0610913510.230 ppb
2019-01-081100042ND
2019-01-081100041ND
2019-01-081100040ND
2019-01-081100039ND
2019-01-081100044ND
2019-01-081100043ND
2019-06-031124606ND
2019-06-031124605ND
2019-06-031124603ND
2019-06-031124604ND
2019-06-241130092ND
2019-06-2411300930.250 ppb
2019-07-2311363730.460 ppb
2019-08-191141967ND
2019-08-191141966ND
2019-08-191141962ND
2019-08-191141963ND
2019-08-191141964ND
2019-08-1911419650.550 ppb
2019-09-0911461110.330 ppb
2019-10-2111563610.480 ppb
2019-11-051159255ND
2019-11-051159251ND
2019-11-051159252ND
2019-11-0511592540.200 ppb
2019-11-0511592530.540 ppb
2019-12-1011652120.400 ppb