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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Collegeville Trappe Joint Public Works Department

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

 

168

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND280ND
2015ND280ND
2016ND280ND
2017ND280ND
2018ND280ND
2019ND280ND

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
2014-01-2020140238ND
2014-01-2020140239ND
2014-01-2020140240ND
2014-01-2020140241ND
2014-01-2020140242ND
2014-03-1720140955ND
2014-03-1720140956ND
2014-04-2120141346ND
2014-04-2120141347ND
2014-04-2120141348ND
2014-04-2120141349ND
2014-04-2120141350ND
2014-04-2120141351ND
2014-04-2120141352ND
2014-07-0714070813-001ND
2014-07-0714070813-002ND
2014-07-0714070813-003ND
2014-07-0714070813-004ND
2014-08-1320142789ND
2014-08-1320142790ND
2014-08-1320142791ND
2014-11-1714111750-01ND
2014-11-1714111750-02ND
2014-11-1714111750-03ND
2014-11-1714111750-04ND
2014-11-1714111750-05ND
2014-11-1714111750-06ND
2014-12-0114120200-01ND
2015-01-1912285454ND
2015-01-1912285475ND
2015-01-1912285496ND
2015-01-1912285517ND
2015-01-1912285538ND
2015-01-1912285559ND
2015-01-1912285580ND
2015-04-2012631592ND
2015-04-2012631613ND
2015-04-2012631634ND
2015-04-2012631655ND
2015-04-2012631676ND
2015-04-2012631697ND
2015-04-2012631718ND
2015-07-0613011205ND
2015-07-0613011231ND
2015-07-0613011257ND
2015-07-0613011283ND
2015-07-0613011309ND
2015-07-0613011335ND
2015-07-2013011549ND
2015-10-1913387777ND
2015-10-1913387798ND
2015-10-1913387819ND
2015-10-1913387840ND
2015-10-1913387861ND
2015-10-1913387882ND
2015-10-1913387903ND
2016-01-1813751348ND
2016-01-1813751369ND
2016-01-1813751390ND
2016-01-1813751411ND
2016-01-1813751432ND
2016-01-1813751453ND
2016-02-1613869077ND
2016-04-1814101342ND
2016-04-1814101363ND
2016-04-1814101384ND
2016-04-1814101405ND
2016-04-1814101426ND
2016-04-1814101447ND
2016-04-1814101468ND
2016-07-1814568364ND
2016-07-1814568385ND
2016-07-1814568406ND
2016-07-1814568427ND
2016-07-1814568448ND
2016-07-1814568469ND
2016-07-1814568490ND
2016-10-1715074112ND
2016-10-1715074133ND
2016-10-1715074154ND
2016-10-1715074175ND
2016-10-1715074196ND
2016-10-1715074217ND
2016-10-1715074238ND
2017-02-2715653927ND
2017-02-2715653948ND
2017-02-2715653969ND
2017-02-2715653990ND
2017-02-2715654011ND
2017-03-0715793994ND
2017-03-0715794015ND
2017-04-1715935327ND
2017-04-1715935348ND
2017-04-1715935369ND
2017-04-1715935390ND
2017-04-1715935411ND
2017-04-1715935432ND
2017-04-1715935453ND
2017-07-1716411667ND
2017-07-1716411688ND
2017-07-1716411709ND
2017-07-1716411730ND
2017-07-1716411751ND
2017-07-1716411772ND
2017-07-1716411793ND
2017-10-1616878518ND
2017-10-1616878539ND
2017-10-1616878560ND
2017-10-1616878581ND
2017-10-1616878602ND
2017-10-1616878623ND
2017-10-1616878644ND
2018-01-2220180311ND
2018-01-2220180312ND
2018-01-2220180313ND
2018-01-2220180314ND
2018-01-2220180315ND
2018-01-2220180316ND
2018-01-2220180317ND
2018-04-1820181575ND
2018-04-1820181576ND
2018-04-1820181577ND
2018-04-1820181578ND
2018-04-1820181579ND
2018-04-1820181580ND
2018-04-1820181581ND
2018-07-1620182718ND
2018-07-1620182719ND
2018-07-1620182720ND
2018-07-1620182721ND
2018-07-1620182722ND
2018-07-1620182723ND
2018-07-1620182724ND
2018-10-1520183946ND
2018-10-1520183947ND
2018-10-1520183948ND
2018-10-1520183949ND
2018-10-1520183950ND
2018-10-1520183951ND
2018-10-1520183952ND
2019-01-2320190306ND
2019-01-2320190307ND
2019-01-2320190308ND
2019-01-2320190309ND
2019-01-2320190310ND
2019-01-2320190311ND
2019-01-2320190312ND
2019-04-1520191439ND
2019-04-1520191440ND
2019-04-1520191441ND
2019-04-1520191442ND
2019-04-1520191443ND
2019-04-1520191444ND
2019-04-1520191445ND
2019-07-1520192706ND
2019-07-1520192707ND
2019-07-1520192708ND
2019-07-1520192709ND
2019-07-1520192710ND
2019-07-1520192711ND
2019-07-1520192712ND
2019-10-2120194150ND
2019-10-2120194151ND
2019-10-2120194152ND
2019-10-2120194153ND
2019-10-2120194154ND
2019-10-2120194155ND
2019-10-2120194156ND