Family of Las Vegas man files lawsuit in 4th death linked to Real Water

The family of a Las Vegas man who died after “heavily” consuming Real Water for nearly a decade filed a lawsuit against the company on Tuesday, joining nearly a hundred others who have reported health problems linked to drinking toxic batches of the bottled water.

Steven Soteros was hospitalized unexpectedly on May 30, 2024, and diagnosed with cirrhosis, or late-stage liver disease, according to the complaint. Soteros, who is pictured six times in the lawsuit carrying liter bottles of Real Water, died three weeks later.

The retiree and motorcycle enthusiast was in his 70s. His family’s lawyer, Will Kemp, said his death is at least the fourth connected to drinking Real Water.

Soteros’ wife, Lenora Soteros, and daughters are suing Real Water and what was its majority shareholder, Affinitylifestyles.com Inc.

Affinity, now defunct, was based in Las Vegas and promoted its product as “the healthiest drinking water available” when it actually contained a toxic chemical used in rocket fuel, according to a series of lawsuits.

The Soteros family is also suing grocery stores, gas stations and other distributors for selling the water.

“Because of the inherent flaws in the manufacturing process described above and the failure to conduct standard ingredient testing, REAL WATER made unsafe water that contained hydrazine and caused a series of outbreaks of liver failure in Las Vegas,” Kemp wrote in the complaint. “As a result of consuming toxic Real Water, Decedent suffered catastrophic personal injuries, including severe liver injuries and death.”

The death of 69-year-old Kathleen Ryerson was one of the first linked to the Real Water outbreaks. She died of pneumonia and liver failure on Nov. 11, 2020.

Court records show that Shawn Lampman died on February 13, 2024, while his 2023 lawsuit against the manufacturer of Real Water and its distributors was still pending. After his sudden death, the complaint was amended, alleging that he had first suffered severe liver failure and ultimately died as a result of drinking Real Water. Costco Wholesale Corp. eventually settled with Lampman’s children for an undisclosed amount.

Boulder City restaurateur Milo Hurst, 71, died in November from “serious and catastrophic injuries,” including those to his liver. His family, alleging that the beverage also caused his death, filed a suit against Real Water in March.

The suit noted that dozens of others, including babies and children, were transported across state lines for transplants and spent weeks in intensive care units after drinking the contaminated water.

Juries have delivered multibillion-dollar verdicts against Real Water, including a $3 billion decision in June 2024 and another for $5 billion in October of the same year.

Real Water is no longer operating, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and federal court records show the company filed for bankruptcy. A spokesperson for Real Water could not be reached for comment.

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.