Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Vinyl chloride

City of Grand Island

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.

 

44

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND90ND
2015ND60ND
2016ND70ND
2017ND90ND
2018ND60ND
2019ND70ND

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
2014-04-08294395ND
2014-04-08294396ND
2014-04-08294397ND
2014-05-19294398ND
2014-05-19294399ND
2014-05-19294400ND
2014-08-25318952ND
2014-08-25318953ND
2014-11-12328541ND
2015-04-07353612ND
2015-04-07353610ND
2015-04-07353611ND
2015-07-20375403ND
2015-07-20375402ND
2015-10-27391676ND
2016-04-12ND
2016-04-12ND
2016-04-12ND
2016-04-26ND
2016-07-05ND
2016-07-05ND
2016-10-25ND
2017-04-18ND
2017-04-18ND
2017-04-19ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-04-25ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-07-18ND
2017-10-31ND
2018-05-30555011ND
2018-05-30555010ND
2018-05-30555009ND
2018-07-24563117ND
2018-07-24563118ND
2018-10-16577076ND
2019-04-01603848ND
2019-04-01603849ND
2019-04-01603850ND
2019-04-29604734ND
2019-07-15623628ND
2019-07-15623627ND
2019-10-21638447ND