Drinking Water Recall Update as FDA Changes Status

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) terminated a recall for Berkeley Club Beverages water on November 13 and recently updated the product’s recall status.
In September, West Virginia-based Berkeley Club Beverages, Inc. voluntarily recalled more than 1,000 bottles of water as they could have contained coliform bacteria. The products were given a Class III risk classification by the FDA on November 8.
A Class III is given in “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.” It is the least serious of the three risk levels designated to recalled products.
More From Newsweek Vault: What Is a Health Savings Account?
In total, 1,034 bottles bearing the codes 090326, 090426, 090526 and 090626 were recalled. They were distributed in West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia only. The FDA erroneously reported the number of recalled bottles at over 151,000, but an FDA spokesperson told Newsweek that the agency was working to correct its enforcement report.
A Berkeley Club Beverages spokesperson told Newsweek that the FDA’s original number was a “tremendous mistake” and that most bottles were recovered, quarantined and destroyed. The company also noted that no illnesses were reported.
Only a few days after receiving a risk classification level, the recall was terminated.
More From Newsweek Vault: Compare the Top Health Savings Account (HSA) Providers
“A recall will be terminated when FDA determines that all reasonable efforts have been made to remove or correct the product in accordance with the recall strategy, and when it is reasonable to assume that the product subject to the recall has been removed and proper disposition or correction has been made commensurate with the degree of hazard of the recalled product,” the FDA said on its website.
Coliform bacteria are organisms present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals, including humans. While some coliform bacteria are unlikely to cause illness, if detected in drinking water they can indicate that other pathogens are present.
More From Newsweek Vault: Learn More About the Different Types of Savings Accounts
Other drinking water recalls are ongoing with the FDA.
A Class I recall, the most serious of FDA recalls in which there is a risk of serious health impacts or death from exposure to the recalled product, remains in place for Real Alkalized Water after being issued in May 2021 after the “FDA was notified of cases of acute liver failure after consumption of Real Water.”
A recall also remains in place for certain cases of Fiji Water with a case code of 6 32565 00004 3 and a bottle code of 6 32565 00001 2. The recall was issued in March after company testing revealed levels of manganese and three bacterial genera, although the bacteria identified were nonpathogenic and nonharmful, a Fiji spokesperson previously told Newsweek. The Fiji recall was resolved immediately, and it is available again for purchase, although it has not yet been updated on the FDA website.
An FDA recall also remains in place for more than 3,800 cases of Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water Naturally Alkaline Electrolytes Deep Well Water in 1-liter bottles with the codes WB123275 and WB123276. The recall was issued in November 2023 after customers complained of “floating particles” in the water. It has been given a Class II classification.
Newsweek previously reached out to the manufacturer of Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water by email.
Update 11/18/24, 2:27 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include a comment from Berkeley Club Beverages.