UNICEF sets up 1st water purification network in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): For the first time ever in Afghanistan, the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has activated a clean water supply network in the Sarobi district of Kabul.

Omid Rahman, UNICEF spokesman in Afghanistan, told Pajhwok Afghan News the project had been executed by the Coordination of Afghan Relief (CoAR) and took one and a half years to complete.

He said the network filtered the impure water coming from the Naghlu dam with the help of solar power and then supplied it to houses through pipes.

He added 120 solar panels – producing approximately 59 kilowatts of electricity – had been used in the plant, purifying 52 cubic meters of water daily and supplying it to homes through 552 pipes.

Omid added the network supplied clean drinking water to 1,290 families in five villages of the district. The project accounted for 43 million afghanis given by UNICEF.

He emphasised on people’s access to clean drinking water and added: “UNICEF plans to implement similar projects in other provinces as well.”

On the other hand, residents of the district also voiced satisfaction with the execution of the project.

Akhtar Mohammad, an inhabitant of the Faqirabad village of the district, recalled they consumed water from the river previously, which caused residents cholera.

He said their problem had been addressed with the completion of the solar power project.

Eng. Khyal Mohammad Sahak, a resident of Salormi Tabi village, said they previously faced a number of problems accessing clean drinking water and people had to walk a long distance to fetch water.

He urged other partner institutions to implement similar projects in other parts of the district to meet the electricity need of the people.

kk/mud