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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Aqua Pennsylvania Main System

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

 

182

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
2014ND330ND
2015ND370ND
2016ND350ND
2017ND310ND
2018ND210ND
2019ND250ND

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
2014-01-06AE19666ND
2014-01-08AE19654ND
2014-01-08AE19653ND
2014-01-09AE19808ND
2014-01-09AE19814ND
2014-02-05AE22406ND
2014-02-06AE22395ND
2014-02-06AE22429ND
2014-02-19AE24127ND
2014-02-19AE24128ND
2014-02-19AE24152ND
2014-02-26AE23735ND
2014-04-14AE29526ND
2014-04-15AE29528ND
2014-04-15AE29507ND
2014-04-23AE29939ND
2014-04-23AE29914ND
2014-04-23AE29839ND
2014-04-23AE29840ND
2014-04-23AE29916ND
2014-04-24AE29947ND
2014-04-24AE29952ND
2014-07-21AE41025ND
2014-07-23AE41635ND
2014-07-23AE40895ND
2014-07-24AE40881ND
2014-07-24AE40886ND
2014-10-22AE53545ND
2014-10-22AE53537ND
2014-10-23AE53645ND
2014-10-23AE53646ND
2014-12-11AE59777ND
2014-12-29AE61209ND
2015-01-0512290034ND
2015-01-0712289939ND
2015-01-0712290057ND
2015-01-0712290072ND
2015-01-0712290100ND
2015-01-0812289967ND
2015-01-0812289977ND
2015-01-2212289918ND
2015-01-2312290014ND
2015-02-0312405395ND
2015-02-0312405521ND
2015-02-0412405353ND
2015-02-0412405374ND
2015-02-0412405416ND
2015-02-0412405437ND
2015-02-0412405458ND
2015-02-0412405479ND
2015-02-0412405500ND
2015-04-0612636854ND
2015-04-2212636875ND
2015-04-2312636812ND
2015-04-2912636833ND
2015-06-0312885161ND
2015-06-0412885140ND
2015-07-2013016805ND
2015-07-2213016571ND
2015-07-2213016592ND
2015-07-2313016529ND
2015-07-2313016550ND
2015-08-0513138443ND
2015-09-3013267558ND
2015-10-2113392019ND
2015-10-2213391956ND
2015-10-2213391977ND
2015-10-2213391998ND
2015-11-0213516757ND
2015-11-2313517512ND
2016-01-0613756196ND
2016-01-0613756217ND
2016-01-0613756301ND
2016-01-1113756154ND
2016-01-2013756133ND
2016-01-2013756175ND
2016-01-2113756070ND
2016-01-2113756091ND
2016-01-2113756112ND
2016-01-2813756238ND
2016-01-2813756259ND
2016-01-2813756280ND
2016-02-0513872909ND
2016-02-1013872930ND
2016-03-0313989323ND
2016-03-1513989365ND
2016-03-1713989344ND
2016-03-1813989386ND
2016-04-1114107125ND
2016-04-1114107146ND
2016-04-1114107167ND
2016-04-1114107209ND
2016-04-1114107230ND
2016-04-1414107188ND
2016-07-2914573686ND
2016-08-0214739165ND
2016-08-0414739107ND
2016-08-0414739132ND
2016-08-0414739149ND
2016-10-2415079384ND
2016-10-2415079405ND
2016-10-2415079426ND
2016-11-0715229340ND
2016-11-2115229361ND
2016-12-0115229905ND
2017-01-0315521168ND
2017-01-1615521210ND
2017-01-1815521105ND
2017-01-1815521126ND
2017-01-1815521189ND
2017-01-2415521147ND
2017-03-2815800257ND
2017-03-2915800278ND
2017-04-0315942275ND
2017-04-1215942317ND
2017-04-1715942212ND
2017-04-1715942233ND
2017-04-1915942254ND
2017-04-1915942296ND
2017-06-1916262177ND
2017-06-2016262198ND
2017-06-2016262219ND
2017-06-2116262240ND
2017-08-0716571175ND
2017-09-1516730767ND
2017-09-1816730704ND
2017-09-1816731938ND
2017-09-1916730725ND
2017-09-1916730746ND
2017-09-1916731854ND
2017-09-2016731875ND
2017-09-2016731896ND
2017-09-2016731917ND
2017-09-2716883578ND
2017-12-2017165317ND
2017-12-2117165329ND
2018-01-17AF74387ND
2018-01-29AF74797ND
2018-01-29AF74445ND
2018-01-29AF74447ND
2018-01-29AF74446ND
2018-01-29AF74448ND
2018-01-31AF74434ND
2018-01-31AF74435ND
2018-01-31AF74433ND
2018-01-31AF74431ND
2018-01-31AF74442ND
2018-01-31AF74441ND
2018-02-22AF74432ND
2018-02-26AF77278ND
2018-02-27AF77311ND
2018-02-27AF76921ND
2018-02-28AF77455ND
2018-02-28AF77456ND
2018-02-28AF77467ND
2018-03-26AF79915ND
2018-11-16AG01115ND
2019-01-28AG07059ND
2019-01-29AG07266ND
2019-03-04AG10320ND
2019-03-04AG10261ND
2019-03-06AG10532ND
2019-03-06AG10533ND
2019-03-06AG10552ND
2019-03-11AG10450ND
2019-03-13AG10482ND
2019-03-19AG10263ND
2019-03-19AG10265ND
2019-03-19AG10264ND
2019-03-26AG12576ND
2019-04-08AG13312ND
2019-04-08AG13600ND
2019-04-10AG12918ND
2019-04-24AG14544ND
2019-04-24AG14546ND
2019-05-06AG16471ND
2019-05-07AG16502ND
2019-05-30AG18878ND
2019-06-19AG20510ND
2019-10-16AG35352ND
2019-10-18AG36414ND
2019-10-23AG36111ND