Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
1 comment 
Kabul May Lose Its Aquifers by 2030; Half of Wells Have Dried Up, and Millions of People Are at Risk of Forced Migration Due to Water Shortages
Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is facing an unprecedented water crisis. A report from Mercy Corps warns that the city’s aquifers may run dry by 2030. If this happens, 3 million residents may be forced to leave their homes.
The collapse in water supply is already showing signs. According to the document, half of the artesian wells in the city have dried up. These wells are the main source of drinking water for the population. In the last ten years, the levels of the aquifers have dropped between 25 and 30 meters.
Consumption Exceeds Recharge
Water extraction in Kabul exceeds natural recharge by 44 million cubic meters per year. This has caused a severe imbalance.
-
Small city in Rio Grande do Sul receives Havan megastore with 11,000 m², four cinemas, and a food court, in a unit that will be the 192nd of the chain and reinforces the expansion plan for all Brazilian states.
-
Government wants to end wooden bridges: plan aims to replace 700 federal structures using artificial intelligence, sensors, and satellite images after tragedies, risk of collapse, and city isolation; DNIT will have only 45 days to act
-
New world power is a country often overlooked by most, but it has 4.5 trillion m³ of natural gas, controls 90% of exports with oil, and has already replaced part of the Russian supply to Europe.
-
Asphalt plant in Brazil bought for R$ 900,000 with a promise to reduce costs never operated, remained idle under tarps for four years, and was eventually auctioned for R$ 851,000 to a businessman with a R$ 16.5 million contract with the city hall.
The national director of Mercy Corps in Afghanistan, Dayne Curry, told The Guardian that it is urgent to draw international attention to the problem. She highlighted that, without water, people leave their homes, which can exacerbate migration and increase difficulties in the country.
The crisis does not have a single cause. The city’s population grew from fewer than 1 million inhabitants in 2001 to 6 million by 2025. This growth has altered the demand for water and put pressure on available resources.
One of the most serious factors is the uncontrolled drilling of wells. It is estimated that there are more than 120,000 wells drilled without regulation.
In addition, hundreds of factories and greenhouses also consume water in large volumes. This activity extracts water from Kabul’s three main aquifers at a rate nearly twice as fast as nature can replenish it.
Drought and Declining Rainfall
Climate change has exacerbated the situation. Afghanistan is a country prone to drought. Between 2021 and 2024, a drought affected more than 11 million people.
The lack of rainfall has been severe. Between October 2023 and January 2024, the country received between 45% and 60% of the expected average precipitation. The regions that feed Kabul’s aquifers were directly affected.
Another critical point is the melting of snow and glaciers in the Hindu Kush mountains. This is the main source of groundwater recharge for the city. However, this melting has been decreasing each year, further reducing water levels underground.
Contaminated Water and Failing Infrastructure
In addition to scarcity, there are also problems with water quality. Up to 80% of the groundwater in Kabul is contaminated with sewage, toxic substances, arsenic, and nitrates at dangerous levels.
Mercy Corps points out failures in infrastructure as another aggravating factor. Even after two decades of humanitarian aid, the city does not have adequate infrastructure to supply water to its growing population.
Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has been isolated on the international stage.
This has resulted in the freezing of US$ 3 billion in aid. These resources would have been used for water, sanitation, and hygiene programs. Without them, many projects have been halted.
Stalled Projects and Lack of Investments
Lack of funding is also hindering important projects, such as the Panjshir River pipeline and the Shah Toot dam. These projects could help alleviate scarcity, but they remain incomplete.
The private sector is also not investing. The lack of financial support further delays solutions for water supply.
Expensive Water and Indebted Families
With the crisis, the price of water has risen significantly. Schools and health centers have closed due to lack of supply. In neighborhoods of the city, the cost of buying water is weighing more heavily on family budgets than food.
Private companies are taking advantage of this situation. Some are drilling new wells to sell water to the population. This water, which was once public, is now being resold at high prices.
Families are suffering. Many spend 15% to 30% of their income just on water, a jump from the 5% recorded in 2021.
In some areas, more than half of families are already spending more on water than on food. According to the report, 68% of families have incurred debts to pay for this resource.
Mercy Corps warns that the crisis is already causing annual losses of US$ 1.2 billion to the country’s economy. The agricultural sector of Kabul is one of the most affected.
For the organization, the solution lies in urgent actions, sustainable water management policies, investments in infrastructure, and joint efforts between the government, humanitarian organizations, and the private sector.
With information from Um Só Planeta.
Altayçeşme su kaçak tespiti Su kaçağı sorunumu çözdüler, artık içim rahat.