Kabul’s water crisis: Afghan capital faces imminent dry spell; to become ‘waterless’ by 2030?

Afghanistan’s Capital Kabul is battling with a severe water crisis that threatens to leave the city parched and waterless by 2030. With its population ballooning from under 1 million in 2001 to 7 million today, the city’s water demand has surged, depleting groundwater reserves at an unsustainable rate. Reports indicate that Kabul’s aquifers are dropping by 30 meters, with half of its borewells already dry. Residents, like those in crowded neighborhoods, haul cans in carts, searching for potable water, while gardens and orchards wither under the strain.

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The crisis is fueled by multiple factors like erratic climate patterns, with reduced rainfall and snowmelt, have crippled aquifer recharge. Rapid urbanization has intensified water use, and 80% of groundwater is now contaminated with sewage, salt, and arsenic, unfit for drinking or farming. Private sellers are taking advantage of the water shortage, charging steep prices that are driving families into financial hardship.

The Taliban-led government has proposed diverting water from the Panjshir River, a $300-$400 million project that could restore groundwater levels, but funding and completion remain uncertain. Smaller initiatives, like water recycling, fall short of addressing the scale of the problem.

Unless immediate steps are taken, experts caution that Kabul might be the first modern capital to face complete water depletion, leading to widespread migration. Essential international funding for projects like the Shahtoot Dam has decreased due to political conflicts and changing global focus.

As Kabul faces this existential threat, residents endure daily struggles, choosing between water and basic needs, while climate-driven droughts and floods loom. The city’s fate hinges on swift governance and global support to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.