Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is on the verge of a catastrophic water crisis, with the United Nations warning that nearly six million residents are at risk due to a sharp decline in water availability. The city\u2019s water shortage is attributed to years of population growth, poor management, and climate change, which have depleted groundwater levels and left almost half of Kabul\u2019s boreholes dry.<\/p>\n
In some parts of the city, families wake up each day unsure if they will have enough water to cook, bathe or even drink. Raheela, a 42-year-old mother of four, told CNN, \u201cWe don\u2019t have access to drinking water at all. Water shortage is a huge problem affecting our daily life.\u201d<\/p>\n
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She and many others in Kabul rely on water tankers, which cost money they struggle to afford. \u201cWe are deeply concerned. We hope for more rain, but if things get worse, I don\u2019t know how we\u2019ll survive,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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A report by Mercy Corps warns that Kabul is extracting 44 million cubic metres more groundwater each year than nature can refill. Experts say the city\u2019s water supply depends almost entirely on groundwater, which is no longer being replenished fast enough due to less snowfall and glacier melt from the Hindu Kush mountains.<\/p>\n
\u201cKabul is facing not just a water issue,\u201d said Marianna Von Zahn, who leads programmes for Mercy Corps in Afghanistan. \u201cIt\u2019s a health crisis, an economic crisis, and a humanitarian emergency all in one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many boreholes have already dried up. Some families have spent months saving money to dig deep wells. Ahmad Yasin, 28, told CNN he and his brother spent six months saving 40,000 Afghanis (around $550) to dig a 120-metre well. But the water is not safe to drink.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe boil it for a long time before drinking,\u201d Yasin said. \u201cSince we spent all our money on the well, we cannot afford to buy a water filter.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Mercy Corps says up to 80 per cent of Kabul\u2019s groundwater is polluted due to sewage and waste. Residents report frequent sickness from using water, even for brushing their teeth.<\/p>\n
Sayed Hamed, a father of three, said his family often falls ill. \u201cWe get sick due to contaminated water either by drinking at someone else\u2019s house, in a restaurant, or even at home,\u201d he told CNN.<\/p>\n
Children are missing school to collect water. Hamed\u2019s two children, aged 13 and nine, sometimes skip class to queue for refills during the day. \u201cThe hours that children should be spending in school, they are now basically spending on fetching water for their families,\u201d Von Zahn said.<\/p>\n
Women face even greater challenges, as Taliban rules prevent them from leaving home<\/a> <\/strong>without a male relative. A 22-year-old woman in Kabul told CNN, \u201cIt is not easy for a woman to go out, especially under the current circumstances. They could be harassed or bothered on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n Story continues below this ad<\/p>\n
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