Overview:
Ralm and Palm Spring bottled water have been recalled in Palau until further notice after routine testing found bacteriological contamination. The Ministry of Health and Human Services is urging consumers, retailers, hotels and restaurants to stop selling, serving or using the affected brands, including for cooking, until health officials confirm they meet drinking water safety standards.
By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
Koror, Palau (August 13, 2026) -The Ministry of Health & Human Services, through its Division of Environmental Health (DEH), has ordered an immediate recall of water products from Palau Ralm Company namely two bottled water brands – Ralm Bottled Water and Palm Spring Bottled Water – until further notice, following failed bacteriological analysis results.
The advisory, issued August 12, 2026, directs all consumers, retailers, hotels, restaurants, and food service establishments to stop selling and consuming products from both brands immediately.
According to the DEH, bottled water companies in Palau are required to have their water tested at least once per month to ensure compliance with national drinking water standards. DEH officials acknowledged that the division does not have the in-house capacity to conduct such microbiological testing and relies on the Environmental Quality Protection Board (EQPB) laboratory to perform this analysis.
The EQPB laboratory, which was re-certified in January 2024 by the US Freely Associated States Laboratory Certification Program for drinking water analysis, conducted routine sampling at the Ralm Bottling Company facility on August 10 and 11, 2026. Results returned on August 12 confirmed that samples from both Ralm Bottled Water and Palm Spring Bottled Water failed to meet safe drinking water quality standards due to bacteriological contamination.
Island Times reached out to the EQPB for comment on the specific bacteria detected in the two recalled brands, but the agency did not respond to inquiries ahead of publication.
DEH officials said the division is currently working to ensure that all stores, hotels, restaurants, and other commercial establishments cease selling the two recalled brands. The division is also collaborating directly with Palau Ralm Company to identify the source of contamination, correct the underlying problems, and retest their water supplies to verify compliance with established standards.
Until further notice, the public is strongly encouraged not to drink or use Ralm Bottled Water or Palm Spring Bottled Water for any purpose, including cooking. DEH stated that once the water products pass all required standards and established tests, the division will issue a press release formally announcing that the waters are safe for public consumption.