The investigation into the bottled water company Real Water and whether or not they may be the reason why several kids and adults have been experiencing health issues is continuing to develop.

In March 2020, the FDA recommended that consumers stop using the brand “Real Water” which makes and distributes bottled alkaline water. The investigation began after several children began experiencing health issues related to their livers. In each case, the children showed symptoms consistent with acute non-viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver. Acute non-viral hepatitis is caused when the liver is exposed to toxins. Symptoms associated with the condition include nausea and vomiting, yellow skin or eyes, light-colored stools, dark urine, fever, and fatigue.

In its recommendation to the public, the FDA advised, “Consumers, restaurants, distributors, and retailers should not drink, cook with, sell, or serve “Real Water” alkaline water until more information is known about the cause of the illnesses. Further, FDA advises that this water not be served to pets.” The FDA extended this warning to all Real Water products sold in stores, through delivery or subscription options, and online.

In late March, the Southern Nevada Health District began working with federal officials to investigate the claims made by parents whose children drank the water and were experiencing health issues.

Between November and December, officials were made aware of the possibly harmful water but the investigation didn’t officially start until March. As the investigation developed, six more people, all adults this time, came forward with symptoms associated with acute non-viral hepatitis. The ages of the children involved ranged from seven months to five years of age while the adults ranged in age from 32 to 71.

Photo Source: Real Water (FDA) The Real Water company, which is based in Nevada, distributes its water throughout the west, and its products were available nationwide online. The company's main operations are out of Mesa, Arizona, and Henderson, Nevada.

Following the announcement by health officials, one Nevada family filed a lawsuit against Real Water. Emely and Christopher Brian Wren alleged that Real Water caused Christopher and the couple's two-year-old son to experience health issues that resulted in hospitalization after they drank the water.

According to the complaint, the two-year-old "was transported on an emergency jet trip from Summerlin Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas to Primary Children’s Hospital at Salt Lake City, Utah, to get emergency treatment for liver malfunction and was hospitalized for days."

Concerns into whether the company followed proper safety guidelines have been called into question after an alarming videotaped deposition from a former Real Water employee, Casey Aiken, shed light on how some batches of the water were produced. In the video, when asked about what was in the Real Water concentration, Aiken responded with “not a clue.”

According to a local news report, Aiken said, “he had no experience in chemistry and only a couple hours of what he called ‘hands on training’ but he was the one in charge of mixing liquid concentrate into the water here at the company’s officers outside Las Vegas.”

When Aiken was questioned about a low reading on a meter that measured the water’s alkalinity, Aiken explained he called his manager (the company founder’s son) regarding how to proceed. Following their conversation where Aiken was told to add more concentrate but not told how much to use, Aiken decided to add two and a half more gallons of the liquid concentrate. When asked in his deposition, “You do understand that if you potentially add more concentrate than you — you usually use that there could potentially be a problem with the water, right?” Aiken responded, “I wouldn’t think so.” Aiken adds, “If I’m putting into somebody that’s ingesting it, I would think that it’s safe no matter what. That’s my thought.”

Real Water has recalled the products in question and denies the allegations made against them in the lawsuit filed by the Wren family. While the company is under audit by the FDA, consumer advocacy agencies have called on the need for tighter regulations for bottled water, an industry that has been growing throughout the past decade.