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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

City of Upland

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

 

83

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
2014ND110ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017ND100ND
2018ND20ND
2019ND600ND

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
2014-09-259590-048-0920ND
2014-09-259590-045-1235ND
2014-09-259590-040-0930ND
2014-09-259590-038-0850ND
2014-09-259590-036-0750ND
2014-09-259590-026-1000ND
2014-09-259590-024-1240ND
2014-09-259590-023-1027ND
2014-09-259590-021-1000ND
2014-10-079590-047-0920ND
2014-10-079590-004-0812ND
2017-02-029590-001-1110ND
2017-08-219590-036-0815ND
2017-08-239590-021-0831ND
2017-08-239590-045-0815ND
2017-08-239590-023-1110ND
2017-08-239590-024-0915ND
2017-08-239590-026-1215ND
2017-08-239590-038-1055ND
2017-08-239590-040-0945ND
2017-08-299590-038-1002ND
2018-04-109590-040-1300ND
2018-10-029590-040-1212ND
2019-02-269590-040-1402ND
2019-03-059590-040-1428ND
2019-03-129590-040-1415ND
2019-03-199590-040-1445ND
2019-03-269590-040-1341ND
2019-04-029590-040-1427ND
2019-04-099590-040-1306ND
2019-04-169590-040-1420ND
2019-04-239590-040-1357ND
2019-04-249590-040-1110ND
2019-04-309590-040-1418ND
2019-05-079590-040-1248ND
2019-05-149590-040-1403ND
2019-05-219590-040-1341ND
2019-05-299590-040-0729ND
2019-06-049590-040-1305ND
2019-06-119590-040-1340ND
2019-06-189590-040-1346ND
2019-06-259590-040-1417ND
2019-07-029590-040-1215ND
2019-07-099590-040-1250ND
2019-07-239590-040-1357ND
2019-07-309590-040-1335ND
2019-08-069590-040-1435ND
2019-08-139590-040-1305ND
2019-08-209590-040-1407ND
2019-08-279590-040-1351ND
2019-09-039590-040-1420ND
2019-09-109590-040-1328ND
2019-09-179590-040-1417ND
2019-09-249590-040-1349ND
2019-09-249590-051-1356ND
2019-10-019590-040-1350ND
2019-10-019590-051-1355ND
2019-10-089590-040-1437ND
2019-10-089590-051-1439ND
2019-10-159590-051-0151ND
2019-10-159590-040-0144ND
2019-10-229590-051-0238ND
2019-10-229590-040-0234ND
2019-10-299590-040-1349ND
2019-10-299590-051-1355ND
2019-11-059590-051-1328ND
2019-11-059590-040-1327ND
2019-11-129590-051-1400ND
2019-11-129590-040-1352ND
2019-11-199590-051-1049ND
2019-11-199590-040-1039ND
2019-11-269590-051-1415ND
2019-11-269590-040-1405ND
2019-12-049590-051-1308ND
2019-12-049590-040-1303ND
2019-12-109590-051-1300ND
2019-12-109590-040-1312ND
2019-12-179590-051-1254ND
2019-12-179590-040-1248ND
2019-12-239590-051-1220ND
2019-12-239590-040-1210ND
2019-12-309590-051-1357ND
2019-12-309590-040-1350ND