ASHEVILLE, North Carolina — North Carolina’s only abortion provider west of Charlotte has been closed since Hurricane Helene because it lacks potable water.
The monthlong closure of the Asheville Planned Parenthood has forced patients to travel hours for care. It has also strained other abortion clinics in North Carolina, which have seen increases in appointments over the last two years as neighboring states have limited or banned procedures following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court.
“This is a very harmful loss of access for patients in North Carolina and also surrounding states and region,” said Julia Walker, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “But this would not have been such a harmful and impactful storm if we had laws that allowed more access for people to obtain care.”
When Helene barreled through Asheville last month, it took out the city’s water supply lines. Water delivery has only recently been restored to most of the city, but even now the water is not safe for drinking and hand washing.