Bibi Yang often sets aside some of her husband’s meager daily earnings to purchase water from tankers that arrive in rickshaws, serving residents in Kabul, Afghanistan’s increasingly parched capital.
The city is grappling with a potential water crisis, spurred by rapid and often chaotic urban growth, years of conflict, and the impacts of climate change, forcing many residents to choose between basic necessities like food and water.
“When my children only have tea for days, they ask, ‘Did you buy water for us?'” shared the 45-year-old housewife with AFP. She mentions that she often has to reuse water for multiple purposes, including bathing and cooking.
Experts have raised alarms about Kabul’s water issues, particularly since the Taliban took control in 2021, while international support for vital infrastructure projects has waned.
UNICEF has warned that Kabul might run out of groundwater by 2030, which sounds dire. Other specialists, while more cautious due to limited data, agree that the situation is deteriorating.
Assembly, a water management expert, described the 2030 scenario as “the worst case.” Achieving any planned development projects, he noted, wouldn’t necessarily improve current conditions.
“As time progresses, our problems only escalate,” he added, pointing to population growth, poor urban planning, and climate change, which leads to less rainfall.
“Water Shortage Ahead”
Despite the Taliban’s initiatives, including water recycling projects and the building of small dams, red tape and lack of funding hinder substantial progress.
They face recognition issues internationally, stemming from their expulsion of Western-affiliated governments and strict enforcement of Islamic law, which has heavily impacted women’s rights.
According to the UN, they have repeatedly urged NGOs to resume suspended water and climate initiatives, as Afghanistan experiences some of the most severe environmental effects in the region.
The Department of Water and Energy has plans to redirect water from the Pansy River to Kabul, but funding between $300 million and $400 million is necessary. A nearby dam project meant to relieve pressure has been stalled since the Taliban takeover.
A recent report from Mercy Corps highlighted that groundwater serves as the main drinking source in Kabul, yet around 80% of it is contaminated.
This groundwater is accessed through more than 100,000 unregulated wells scattered across the city, continually being drilled deeper.
Experts estimate that the water being drawn exceeds the rate at which it can be naturally replenished, leading to a shortfall of approximately 76 million cubic meters (200 billion gallons) annually.
“It’s a serious issue… water is diminishing daily in the city,” said Shafiurra Zahidi, who oversees Kabul’s state water utility, UWASS.
The water system, established decades ago, now services only 20% of the city’s population, which has surged to about 6 million in the last two decades, Zahidi noted.
“Conserve Water”
At one of Kabul’s pump stations, Mohammad Ehsan, a maintenance manager, revealed that their well, only seven years old, has started yielding less water, while two others have completely dried up.
“Areas with shallow aquifers are now barren,” noted Ehsan, 53.
New wells now have to be drilled over twice as deep to access groundwater that used to be available at depths of 70 meters (about 230 feet).
At one of the city’s major facilities, the International Red Cross has recently installed four new pumps, but only one is operational.
“If that pump fails for any reason, it will disrupt services for 25,000 households,” cautioned Baraa Afe, the ICRC’s Assistant Water and Habitat Coordinator.
According to Zahidi, ideally everyone should have access to water every day.
In reality, though, Bibi Jan and many others often resort to hauling water in heavy jugs from wells or purchasing it from tankers.
These private suppliers charge at least double the rates of state utilities, making drinking water particularly expensive for a population with 85% living on less than $1 a day.
Bibi Yang mentioned that she has to carefully monitor the family’s water consumption.
“I tell them, ‘I’m not trying to be stingy, but we have to use less.’ What will we do if we run out of water?”
