Beverly Byers urges Kenosha water utility to test for abortion-pill residues in municipal water

At the March meeting of the City of Kenosha Water Utility, resident Beverly Byers told the board she is concerned that residues from oral abortion medications are entering the municipal water system and urged officials to collect data and begin testing.

"The abortion pill for the oral plan b is leaving nephropoxate in our water, which is a DNA disruptor," Byers said, citing material she said she found from the Liberty Council and asking whether the water department is accumulating testing data. She said the group reported large distribution numbers and called for the board to consider setting aside money for testing.

Byers described herself as a former home-economics teacher living in Kenosha and said she had asked city and water-department staff what monitoring is under way. She asked the board whether industry standards exist and whether staff could review and summarize available testing data for the commission.

Board members and staff did not dispute that the comment was made but gave no technical rebuttal or new testing plan in the meeting. Chair said he would "have a conversation with the" water department to follow up. Staff did not present laboratory results or an existing monitoring plan during the public-comment period.

Byers referenced numerical estimates published by an outside group and said the potential scale of distribution made the question worth investigating; she also suggested coordination with Great Lakes partners. The board did not vote on any new testing program at the meeting.

The public-comment period then closed and the board moved on to routine business.