Vinyl Chloride in Drinking Water

🩨 Health Effects

Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen, causing liver cancer (hepatic angiosarcoma) with long-term exposure. It has one of the lowest MCLs of common VOCs in drinking water, reflecting its high carcinogenic potency.

📍 Sources in Water

Enters water from the breakdown of other chlorinated solvents (TCE, PCE) in groundwater, and from discharge of plastics factories and chemical plants. Under normal conditions, PVC pipes do not release vinyl chloride into water.

✅ What To Do

Activated carbon filtration and aeration effectively remove vinyl chloride. Reverse osmosis also works. Violations are uncommon but occur at sites with TCE/PCE contamination that has undergone natural breakdown.

📜 Regulation History

The EPA set the vinyl chloride MCL at 0.002 mg/L (2 ppb) in 1987 under the Phase I VOC rule, with an MCLG of zero. The very low MCL reflects its potency as a known human carcinogen (Group A). The WHO guideline is 0.0003 mg/L (0.3 ppb), much stricter than the US standard.

🔬 How To Test Your Water

Certified lab tests for vinyl chloride cost $50-$100 using EPA Method 524.2. Home test kits are not available. Vinyl chloride is most commonly found as a degradation product of TCE and PCE, so testing is particularly relevant near contaminated industrial or military sites.

💧 Which Filters Remove Vinyl Chloride?

Granular activated carbon (GAC) filters adsorb vinyl chloride effectively. Packed tower aeration (air stripping) is the most common municipal treatment. Reverse osmosis also removes vinyl chloride. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 certification for VOC reduction.

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