Kabul: Kabul is on track to become the first modern city to completely run out of water within the next five years unless urgent action is taken.
A recent report by Mercy Corps reveals that groundwater levels in Afghanistan’s capital have dropped drastically, by 82 to 98 feet over the past decade, due to excessive extraction and climate change impacts.
The report highlights that the city’s annual water extraction exceeds natural groundwater recharge by approximately 44 million cubic meters.
UNICEF data further shows that nearly half of Kabul’s underground bore wells are already dry, signaling a looming humanitarian crisis. If current trends persist, the city could face total water depletion by 2030.
Causes Behind Kabul’s Water Crisis
Years of conflict have severely undermined Afghanistan’s governance and infrastructure. Decades of war, including the Soviet invasion and two decades of US intervention, have destabilized rural areas, pushing large populations into Kabul. This influx, combined with weak governance and ongoing sanctions, has hampered effective water management.
“While well-managed cities mitigate such crises through robust water governance and infrastructure, Kabul lacks this capacity,” said Aseem Mayar, former lecturer at Kabul Polytechnic University, quoted by Al Jazeera.
Climate factors exacerbate the crisis. Kabul relies heavily on groundwater replenished by snow and glacier meltwater from the Hindu Kush mountains via three rivers: the Kabul, Paghman, and Logar. However, between October 2023 and January 2024, the region received only 45 to 60 percent of its average winter precipitation, further straining water resources.
A Growing Divide
The majority of Kabul’s residents depend on bore wells for water. The National Statistics Directorate estimates there are about 310,000 drilled wells and 120,000 unregulated bore wells in the city.
A 2023 UN report found that 49 percent of these bore wells are dry, while the remainder operate at just 60 percent efficiency.
As water becomes scarcer, wealthier residents are digging deeper wells, limiting access for poorer communities and highlighting the widening socio-economic divide.
Urgent Measures Needed
Experts emphasize that immediate interventions are critical to avert disaster. “Artificial groundwater recharge and the development of basic water infrastructure around the city are urgently needed,” said Mayar
Sanctions on Afghanistan have restricted access to essential resources, technology, and funding necessary for building and maintaining water infrastructure, further complicating efforts.
Authorities must prioritize renewing aging water pipes to channel river water into the city, alongside constructing check dams and reservoirs to replenish underground aquifers.
