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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

California American Water Company - Monterey

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

 

249

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
2014ND670ND
2015ND320ND
2016ND540ND
2017ND350ND
2018ND300ND
2019ND310ND

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
2014-01-085810-075-1125ND
2014-01-085810-076-1135ND
2014-01-085810-077-1155ND
2014-01-085810-083-1215ND
2014-01-131225-081-1040ND
2014-01-201225-026-1000ND
2014-01-211225-026-1100ND
2014-01-211225-089-1140ND
2014-01-221225-092-1145ND
2014-02-055810-075-1058ND
2014-02-055810-076-1133ND
2014-02-055810-077-1018ND
2014-02-051225-081-1121ND
2014-02-181225-054-1225ND
2014-03-035810-075-1346ND
2014-03-035810-076-1406ND
2014-03-035810-077-1318ND
2014-03-121225-081-0942ND
2014-03-261225-050-1150ND
2014-04-035810-075-1219ND
2014-04-035810-076-1244ND
2014-04-035810-077-1126ND
2014-04-031225-081-1105ND
2014-04-035810-083-1201ND
2014-04-081225-082-1125ND
2014-04-101225-061-1250ND
2014-04-221225-050-1130ND
2014-04-241225-092-1005ND
2014-04-291225-089-1030ND
2014-05-051225-079-1420ND
2014-05-135810-075-1150ND
2014-05-135810-076-1150ND
2014-05-135810-077-1210ND
2014-05-271225-081-1135ND
2014-06-111225-053-1000ND
2014-06-115810-075-1230ND
2014-06-115810-076-1230ND
2014-06-115810-077-1230ND
2014-06-111225-081-1310ND
2014-07-095810-075-1000ND
2014-07-095810-076-1000ND
2014-07-095810-077-1000ND
2014-07-095810-083-1000ND
2014-07-141225-081-1300ND
2014-07-281225-050-1030ND
2014-08-075810-075-1200ND
2014-08-075810-076-1220ND
2014-08-075810-077-1150ND
2014-08-071225-081-1105ND
2014-09-085810-075-1330ND
2014-09-085810-076-1335ND
2014-09-085810-077-1345ND
2014-09-221225-081-1200ND
2014-10-071225-081-0950ND
2014-10-085810-075-1110ND
2014-10-085810-076-1045ND
2014-10-085810-077-1015ND
2014-10-095810-083-1130ND
2014-11-045810-075-1325ND
2014-11-045810-076-1330ND
2014-11-045810-077-1400ND
2014-11-041225-081-0930ND
2014-12-091225-081-1315ND
2014-12-105810-075-1040ND
2014-12-105810-076-1110ND
2014-12-105810-077-1000ND
2014-12-231225-085-0915ND
2015-01-065810-075-1053ND
2015-01-065810-076-1105ND
2015-01-065810-077-1040ND
2015-01-071225-081-1020ND
2015-02-101225-085-1330ND
2015-02-185810-075-1325ND
2015-02-185810-076-1330ND
2015-02-191225-081-1110ND
2015-03-031225-081-1240ND
2015-03-041225-050-0955ND
2015-03-045810-075-1035ND
2015-03-045810-076-1045ND
2015-04-095810-075-1035ND
2015-04-095810-076-1040ND
2015-04-091225-082-0935ND
2015-05-115810-075-1315ND
2015-05-115810-076-1300ND
2015-06-025810-075-1025ND
2015-06-025810-076-1035ND
2015-07-095810-075-1115ND
2015-07-095810-076-1120ND
2015-08-115810-075-1027ND
2015-08-115810-076-1035ND
2015-09-165810-075-1000ND
2015-09-165810-076-1005ND
2015-09-295810-083-1325ND
2015-10-135810-075-1120ND
2015-10-135810-076-1125ND
2015-11-035810-075-0850ND
2015-11-035810-076-0900ND
2015-12-085810-075-1240ND
2015-12-085810-076-1250ND
2016-01-071225-085-1505ND
2016-01-121225-046-1355ND
2016-01-205810-075-0950ND
2016-01-205810-076-1005ND
2016-01-205810-077-1015ND
2016-01-205810-087-1055ND
2016-02-035810-075-0909ND
2016-02-035810-076-0920ND
2016-02-081225-016-1030ND
2016-02-081225-017-1000ND
2016-02-081225-044-1230ND
2016-02-081225-045-1200ND
2016-02-081225-047-1100ND
2016-03-025810-075-1100ND
2016-03-025810-076-1115ND
2016-03-025810-083-0930ND
2016-04-061225-024-1410ND
2016-04-075810-075-1150ND
2016-04-075810-076-1155ND
2016-04-071225-082-1010ND
2016-04-191225-029-1000ND
2016-04-191225-051-1100ND
2016-04-261225-048-1115ND
2016-05-115810-075-1115ND
2016-05-115810-076-1120ND
2016-05-121225-052-1010ND
2016-05-181225-087-1045ND
2016-06-071225-026-1045ND
2016-06-071225-072-1000ND
2016-06-071225-073-1020ND
2016-06-081225-002-1330ND
2016-06-081225-006-1300ND
2016-06-081225-074-1315ND
2016-06-095810-075-1410ND
2016-06-095810-076-1400ND
2016-07-065810-075-1105ND
2016-07-065810-076-1110ND
2016-08-035810-075-1311ND
2016-08-035810-076-1305ND
2016-08-171225-087-1330ND
2016-08-221225-070-1010ND
2016-08-291225-050-1215ND
2016-09-065810-075-1225ND
2016-09-065810-076-1230ND
2016-09-085810-083-1010ND
2016-10-041225-050-1140ND
2016-10-045810-075-1015ND
2016-10-045810-076-1020ND
2016-10-121225-087-0930ND
2016-11-075810-075-1115ND
2016-11-075810-076-1125ND
2016-12-075810-075-1035ND
2016-12-075810-076-1045ND
2016-12-201225-085-1135ND
2017-01-041225-087-1115ND
2017-01-125810-075-1355ND
2017-01-125810-076-1410ND
2017-01-125810-077-1343ND
2017-01-301225-050-1508ND
2017-02-075810-075-1120ND
2017-02-075810-076-1125ND
2017-03-085810-075-1340ND
2017-03-085810-076-1330ND
2017-03-085810-083-1315ND
2017-04-175810-075-1035ND
2017-04-175810-076-1040ND
2017-04-171225-082-1045ND
2017-04-261225-050-0915ND
2017-05-105810-075-1020ND
2017-05-105810-076-1010ND
2017-06-145810-075-1051ND
2017-06-145810-076-1108ND
2017-06-145810-083-1037ND
2017-07-121225-050-1003ND
2017-07-205810-075-1034ND
2017-07-205810-076-1047ND
2017-08-105810-075-0915ND
2017-08-105810-076-0929ND
2017-09-145810-075-1445ND
2017-09-145810-083-1500ND
2017-09-205810-076-1210ND
2017-10-021225-050-1135ND
2017-10-165810-075-1055ND
2017-10-165810-076-1052ND
2017-11-165810-075-0920ND
2017-11-165810-076-0915ND
2017-12-045810-075-1210ND
2017-12-045810-076-1200ND
2017-12-045810-083-1140ND
2018-01-115810-075-1125ND
2018-01-115810-076-1135ND
2018-01-115810-077-1205ND
2018-01-115810-083-1155ND
2018-01-161225-087-1000ND
2018-01-171225-050-1445ND
2018-02-065810-075-1230ND
2018-02-065810-076-1240ND
2018-04-305810-075-1040ND
2018-04-305810-076-1000ND
2018-05-011225-082-0920ND
2018-05-075810-075-1122ND
2018-05-075810-076-1130ND
2018-05-301225-050-1110ND
2018-06-125810-075-1125ND
2018-06-195810-076-1030ND
2018-07-091225-050-0825ND
2018-07-255810-075-0955ND
2018-07-255810-076-1015ND
2018-08-015810-075-1130ND
2018-08-015810-076-1140ND
2018-09-125810-075-1125ND
2018-09-125810-076-1120ND
2018-10-015810-075-1340ND
2018-10-015810-076-1345ND
2018-10-021225-050-1210ND
2018-11-085810-075-0915ND
2018-11-085810-076-0910ND
2018-12-045810-075-1120ND
2018-12-045810-076-1125ND
2019-01-095810-075-1155ND
2019-01-095810-076-1205ND
2019-01-095810-077-1140ND
2019-01-095810-083-1130ND
2019-01-141225-087-1250ND
2019-01-151225-085-1545ND
2019-01-171225-050-1515ND
2019-02-055810-075-1005ND
2019-02-055810-076-1010ND
2019-02-071225-016-1335ND
2019-02-071225-017-1300ND
2019-02-071225-044-1650ND
2019-02-071225-045-1710ND
2019-02-071225-046-1430ND
2019-02-071225-047-1515ND
2019-03-191225-029-1330ND
2019-03-191225-051-1230ND
2019-03-201225-024-1228ND
2019-03-211225-050-1415ND
2019-03-265810-075-1418ND
2019-03-265810-076-1418ND
2019-04-221225-072-1640ND
2019-04-221225-073-1600ND
2019-04-241225-002-1430ND
2019-04-241225-006-1400ND
2019-04-241225-052-1330ND
2019-04-241225-074-1450ND
2019-05-061225-082-1350ND
2019-07-241225-048-1420ND
2019-08-071225-026-1230ND
2019-08-081225-070-1530ND