Urgent Warning Issued For Bacteria Found In Bottled Water Brand

More than 150,000 bottles of a water brand were recalled over a bacteria risk, the Food and Drug Administration announced.

Berkeley Club Beverages recalled 151,397 bottles of its Berkeley Springs Water Purified and Berkeley Springs Water Distilled drinking water sold in one gallon and five gallon plastic containers with six gallons in one case and one individual five gallon distributed in West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia after the product tested positive for coliforms, a bacteria in drinking water that can cause serious health issues, though most forms do not. The FDA said the company voluntarily initiated a recall on September 12 and classified as a Class III recall on November 8, the least severe of three potential recall classifications, where “use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.”

Escherichia coli, better known as E. coli, is among coliform bacteria strains that can cause serious illness, however, it’s rare to be found in drinking water. The FDA didn’t state whether E. coli was found in the recalled water.

Natural Waters of Viti Ltd. had previously issued a similar recall involving more than 78,000 packs of its Fiji Natural Artesian Water found to have been contaminated with manganese and three types of bacteria earlier this year.