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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Vinyl chloride

Paw Penn District

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

 

56

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND110ND
2015ND80ND
2016ND90ND
2017ND100ND
2018ND80ND
2019ND100ND

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
2014-01-0824408301ND
2014-01-0824408001ND
2014-01-0824410701ND
2014-01-0824410601ND
2014-01-0824409501ND
2014-01-0824410501ND
2014-01-0824410201ND
2014-01-0824410401ND
2014-04-0125339001ND
2014-07-0726114501ND
2014-10-0127103201ND
2015-01-0212315844ND
2015-01-0212315886ND
2015-01-0212315865ND
2015-01-0212315823ND
2015-01-0212315802ND
2015-04-0312660730ND
2015-07-0913043468ND
2015-10-0113419771ND
2016-01-0613783281ND
2016-01-0613783260ND
2016-01-0613783239ND
2016-01-0613783197ND
2016-01-0613783218ND
2016-04-0414139331ND
2016-04-1814139353ND
2016-07-1314610388ND
2016-10-0315112458ND
2017-01-0415551721ND
2017-01-0415551742ND
2017-01-0415551700ND
2017-01-0415551763ND
2017-01-0415551668ND
2017-01-0415551784ND
2017-01-0415551647ND
2017-04-0515975966ND
2017-07-0616450381ND
2017-10-1116915035ND
2018-01-1138161501ND
2018-01-1138161401ND
2018-01-1138161301ND
2018-01-1138161201ND
2018-01-1138161101ND
2018-04-1139072601ND
2018-07-1640207301ND
2018-10-1741961701ND
2019-01-0942499301ND
2019-01-0942499401ND
2019-01-0942499501ND
2019-01-0942499201ND
2019-01-0942499601ND
2019-04-0143658101ND
2019-07-0845016101ND
2019-07-1545716201ND
2019-10-0746831501ND
2019-10-3143999801ND