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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Fishkill Village

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.

 

60

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND80ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND80ND
2017ND200ND
2018ND80ND
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
2014-05-07FK14673-80DND
2014-05-07FK14673-80ND
2014-05-07FK14673-80END
2014-05-07FK14673-80FND
2014-05-07FK14673-80BND
2014-05-07FK14673-80GND
2014-05-07FK14673-80HND
2014-05-07FK14673-80AND
2015-10-14FK152038ND
2015-10-14FK152036ND
2015-10-14FK152033ND
2015-10-14FK152035ND
2015-10-14FK152032ND
2015-10-14FK152034ND
2015-10-14FK152037ND
2015-11-11FK152199ND
2016-11-02FK163979ND
2016-11-02FK163975ND
2016-11-02FK163978ND
2016-11-02FK163977ND
2016-11-02FK163981ND
2016-11-02FK163974ND
2016-11-02FK163980ND
2016-11-02FK163976ND
2017-02-01VF170280ND
2017-02-01VF170279ND
2017-11-15FK172884ND
2017-11-15FK172883ND
2017-11-15FK172885ND
2017-11-15FK172881ND
2017-11-15FK172887ND
2017-11-15FK172888ND
2017-11-15FK172882ND
2017-11-15FK172886ND
2017-12-06L1744911-05ND
2017-12-06L1744911-04ND
2017-12-06L1744911-03ND
2017-12-06L1744911-06ND
2017-12-06L1744911-08ND
2017-12-06L1744911-07ND
2017-12-06L1744911-10ND
2017-12-06L1744911-01ND
2017-12-06L1744911-09ND
2017-12-06L1744911-02ND
2018-12-12VF132891ND
2018-12-12VF132889ND
2018-12-12VF132886ND
2018-12-12VF132884ND
2018-12-12VF132885ND
2018-12-12VF132887ND
2018-12-12VF132888ND
2018-12-12VF132890ND
2019-11-2019K0869-06ND
2019-11-2019K0869-05ND
2019-11-2019K0869-08ND
2019-11-2019K0869-01ND
2019-11-2019K0869-03ND
2019-11-2019K0869-07ND
2019-11-2019K0869-04ND
2019-11-2019K0869-02ND