PITTSBURGH /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) July 26 urged Western Pennsylvania residents not to drink bottled water from gallon containers labeled "Foodland Spring Water," lot numbers 1155 and 1141, expiration June 28, 2002, bottled by Global Beverage Systems Inc. of Latrobe, Westmoreland County.
High levels of coliform, a bacteria that can cause flu-like symptoms, was found in three containers by the Allegheny County Health Department. The samples were taken after an Allegheny County man reported to the health department that he became sick after drinking the water.
DEP also has asked Foodland to remove all gallon bottles of Foodland Spring Water, bottled by Global Beverage Systems, from store shelves today.
"Global Beverage Systems bottled the water without a permit on a line not approved for bottling water," DEP Southwest Regional Director Chuck Duritsa said. "We are investigating how coliform got into the bottles and why the company was operating without a permit. We have ordered Global Beverage to immediately cease bottling or supplying any drinking water.
"In the meantime, anyone who has symptoms they feel are related to drinking this particular brand of bottled water should call the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-PA-HEALTH."
Samples taken by the water supplier, Roaring Spring of Blair County, have shown no coliform levels in the water placed in the bulk trucks. Roaring Spring supplies the water that was hauled by tanker truck to Global Beverage Systems.
No one else has reported illnesses related to drinking the water.
Global Beverage had been issued a permit by DEP to construct a water-bottling facility, but was not yet authorized to begin operations.
To learn more about drinking water standards, visit the Pennsylvania web site at http://www.dep.state.pa.us.
SOURCE: PA Department of Environmental Protection
