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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

City of Fountain Valley

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

 

53

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND140ND
2015ND90ND
2016ND70ND
2017ND60ND
2018ND90ND
2019ND80ND

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
2014-01-144417-006-0800ND
2014-01-154417-008-0800ND
2014-01-284417-009-0735ND
2014-01-294417-011-0740ND
2014-01-304417-010-0715ND
2014-04-074417-008-0840ND
2014-04-074417-006-0800ND
2014-04-084417-010-0825ND
2014-04-084417-020-0800ND
2014-04-094417-009-0745ND
2014-04-094417-011-0815ND
2014-07-174417-010-0810ND
2014-10-204417-009-0840ND
2014-11-254417-010-0755ND
2015-01-124417-009-0840ND
2015-01-124417-020-0800ND
2015-01-144417-010-0835ND
2015-04-074417-008-0915ND
2015-04-074417-006-0830ND
2015-04-154417-020-0830ND
2015-04-154417-011-0750ND
2015-05-284417-009-0735ND
2015-07-134417-006-0820ND
2016-01-134417-010-0750ND
2016-04-054417-009-0735ND
2016-04-064417-008-0810ND
2016-04-064417-020-0745ND
2016-04-074417-006-0850ND
2016-04-074417-011-0755ND
2016-07-124417-006-0820ND
2017-01-124417-010-0940ND
2017-04-104417-020-0805ND
2017-04-184417-011-0825ND
2017-04-184417-008-0800ND
2017-06-154417-006-0845ND
2017-10-034417-006-0820ND
2018-01-084417-006-0800ND
2018-01-104417-008-0720ND
2018-01-114417-010-0715ND
2018-02-264417-011-0750ND
2018-04-094417-008-0830ND
2018-04-094417-006-0750ND
2018-04-114417-020-0740ND
2018-06-204417-011-0845ND
2018-09-184417-009-0805ND
2019-01-074417-008-0830ND
2019-01-094417-006-0800ND
2019-01-174417-009-0820ND
2019-01-174417-010-0750ND
2019-02-114417-020-0850ND
2019-02-124417-011-0810ND
2019-04-024417-008-0840ND
2019-04-024417-006-0800ND