Certain lots of Mountain Pure bottled drinking water have been recalled because test results show the presence of biological contamination, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) announced Monday.
More testing is needed to identify the specific type of mold and its origin, and that is expected to take several more days. The affected water was found in a shipment of bottled water ordered by the city of Clinton for use during disaster response efforts there.
In some communities, including Clinton, public drinking water systems are under precautionary boil orders to help reduce the possibility of diarrheal illness. Residents are urged to boil drinking water for one minute prior to consuming it or to drink bottled water.
“We are still saying that bottled water and water that you have purified by boiling is the safest way to provide drinking water in those communities with disrupted water supplies,” said Dr. William L. Mason, branch chief for the Preparedness and Emergency Response branch at ADH. While it is unlikely that a healthy person would become ill from drinking the recalled bottled water, Mason said people with a weakened immune system might be at higher risk. For that reason, ADH recommended that the Mountain Pure company recall the entire lot where this sample was bottled.
The recalled bottles of Mountain Pure drinking water are 16.9 fl. oz. (506 ml.) and marked with a four-digit, military time code — from 2200 through 0400 — etched into the plastic. Also included is an expiration date code that says either Best By 2-27-2013 MPWA or Best By 2-28-2013 MPWA. Only these specific lots of Mountain Pure are part of the recall.
ADH is recommending that anyone who might have purchased or received any of this bottled water dispose of it or return it to the point of purchase.
