Kabul at risk of becoming first modern city to run out of water, report warns
a year ago
- #water-crisis
- #Kabul
- #climate-change
- Kabul faces a severe water crisis, with aquifers dropping by up to 30 meters in the past decade.
- Nearly half of Kabul's boreholes, the main drinking water source, have dried up.
- Water extraction exceeds natural recharge by 44 million cubic meters annually, risking aquifer depletion by 2030.
- 80% of Kabul's groundwater is contaminated with sewage, salinity, and arsenic.
- Households spend up to 30% of their income on water, with many incurring water-related debt.
- Private companies exploit the crisis by selling extracted groundwater at inflated prices.
- Kabul's population growth from 1 million in 2001 to 7 million has drastically increased water demand.
- Lack of governance and frozen international funding exacerbate the crisis.
- The Panjshir River pipeline project could supply 2 million residents with potable water but awaits funding.
- Locals are willing to invest in sustainable solutions despite financial hardships.