KABUL (Pajhwok): On World Water Day, many residents of Kabul have raised concerns about their declining access to clean drinking water.
They urged the caretaker government to establish a well-structured urban water supply system and deal effectively with the issue of falling underground water levels.
However, the Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) says it has developed both short- and long-term plans to control and strengthen Kabul’s groundwater resources while expanding the city’s supply network.
Limited access to clean water
Syed Ahmad, an inhabitant of the Kart-i-Sakhi area of Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News their neighbourhood lacked a water supply system. As a result, residents rely on expensive water tankers to meet daily needs.
Living on the mountainside, he highlighted the difficulty of transporting water to his home, urging the government to implement a proper supply system or establish reservoirs in his area.
Abdul Maroof, who hails from Taimani Project, shared a similar struggle: “We don’t have government-supplied water. Sometimes, we get water from mosques, sometimes from neighbours. If someone takes pity, they give us water; otherwise, we get nothing.”
Khudadad, a 61-year-old resident of the Nawabad Deh Kipak area of the capital, said he walked long distances two to three times a day to fetch drinking water.
He also called on the government to develop a structured water distribution plan to ensure access to safe drinking water for all.
Call to conserve groundwater
Experts stress water is the source of life and that both citizens and the government must take serious measures to conserve it.
Najib Aqa Faheem, a water expert, said Kabul residents lacked access to a potable water source, leading them to dig deep and semi-deep wells, which lowered groundwater levels, degrade quality and might eventually cause water sources to dry up.
He urged the government to regulate companies extracting groundwater for business, requiring them to transport water from outside Kabul via tankers, halt 24-hour solar pumps that continuously depleted groundwater and establish more dams around Kabul to replenish groundwater levels.
Environmental expert Syed Mohammad Salmankhel also called on the interim government to construct water dams around Kabul, raise public awareness about water conservation, expand the urban supply system and manage groundwater resources efficiently.
Government’s plans for groundwater management
MoEW says it has designed policies to balance water consumption and groundwater recharge in Kabul.
Matiullah Abid, spokesman for the ministry, told Pajhwok a new directive had been issued, involving recycling systems in factories, hospitals, highrise buildings and car-wash stations.
He said the directive also included the digging of thousands of absorption wells to replenish groundwater and redirect a large portion of the Paghman River’s water into the Qargha Dam instead of letting it flow out of the city.
He also announced long-term plans, such as transferring water from the Panjsher River and Shah wa Arus Dam to Kabul. Technical studies for the schemes have been completed and practical work will begin once funding is available.
On World Water Day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says 83 percent of people face severe water shortages in Afghanistan.
March 22 marks World Water Day, recognised by the United Nations to highlight the importance of groundwater conservation and access to clean water worldwide.
kk/mud
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