Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Walnut Grove Utilities

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.

 

82

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND50ND
2019ND130ND
2020ND70ND
2021ND100ND
2022ND240ND
2023ND230ND

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 Lab ID Result
2018-06-12680-153971-1ND
2018-06-13680-154051-1ND
2018-07-03680-154927-1ND
2018-07-10680-155198-1ND
2018-10-16680-159419-1ND
2019-02-26680-165150-1ND
2019-02-26680-165155-1ND
2019-03-05680-165488-1ND
2019-03-05680-165490-1ND
2019-03-12680-165969-1ND
2019-04-02680-167058-1ND
2019-04-02680-167063-1ND
2019-04-09680-167500-1ND
2019-04-09680-167502-1ND
2019-07-16680-171849-1ND
2019-07-16680-171850-1ND
2019-08-07680-172766-1ND
2019-08-07680-172772-1ND
2020-03-11481035ND
2020-03-12481037ND
2020-06-11488369ND
2020-09-02497133ND
2020-09-02497129ND
2020-11-17504183ND
2020-11-17504181ND
2021-03-181034634-01ND
2021-03-181034633-01ND
2021-04-221044869-01ND
2021-04-291052161-01ND
2021-05-061052823-01ND
2021-05-131054055-01ND
2021-09-24810-3700-1ND
2021-09-24810-3699-1ND
2021-09-24810-3698-1ND
2021-10-12810-5182-1ND
2022-03-08810-17576-1AND
2022-03-08810-17573-1AND
2022-03-08810-17508-1AND
2022-03-08810-17505-1AND
2022-03-09FWC0111BND
2022-03-09810-18448-1ND
2022-03-09810-18451-1AND
2022-03-14FWC0176-01SND
2022-03-23810-18980-1SND
2022-05-16FWF0001-01BND
2022-05-16FWE0086ND
2022-05-16FWE0085-01ND
2022-05-16FWE0082-01AND
2022-07-11FWG0313ND
2022-07-11FWG0322ND
2022-07-11FWG0325ND
2022-09-21FWI0536-01ND
2022-09-28FWJ0040ND
2022-09-28FWJ0039ND
2022-10-26FWJ0180-01ND
2022-11-14FWJ0183-01ND
2022-11-15FWJ0189-01ND
2022-11-15FWJ0173-01ND
2022-12-14810-47844-1ND
2023-02-06FXB0073-01ND
2023-02-07FXB0069-01ND
2023-02-07FXB0060-01ND
2023-02-09FXB0076-01ND
2023-02-15FXB0432-01ND
2023-02-15FXB0430-01ND
2023-02-15FXB00446-01ND
2023-02-16FXB0071-01ND
2023-04-04FXC0540ND
2023-04-04FXC0511ND
2023-04-05FXC0556ND
2023-04-05FXC0562ND
2023-04-05FXC0551ND
2023-04-05FXC0547ND
2023-04-06FXC0505ND
2023-05-01FXD0496ND
2023-07-31FXF0578ND
2023-07-31FXF0567ND
2023-08-02FXF0582ND
2023-08-02FXF0571ND
2023-11-1468354201ND
2023-11-1468354301ND
2023-11-1468354401ND