Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is on the verge of an unprecedented environmental disaster that could see it become the first modern city in the world to completely run out of water. A new report by humanitarian organization Mercy Corps has issued a dire warning about the rapid depletion of the city’s aquifers. Over the past decade, groundwater levels in Kabul have dropped by as much as 30 meters due to a combination of climate change, unchecked urbanization, and inadequate infrastructure.
The report reveals that Kabul, the modern city, is currently extracting 44 million cubic meters more water each year than its aquifers can naturally replenish. This unsustainable consumption has already led to nearly half of the city’s boreholes drying up, while demand continues to rise due to a ballooning population. Since 2001, Kabul’s population has grown sevenfold, placing immense stress on its already fragile water resources.
Making matters worse is the severe contamination of what little water remains. According to the report, up to 80% of the city’s groundwater is now unsafe for consumption, polluted with sewage, salt, and even arsenic. This has forced many residents to rely on expensive, private water vendors, with some households spending nearly a third of their income just to access clean water.
The lack of a functioning public water system has not only increased costs for ordinary Afghans but also allowed for the rise of unregulated water markets that exploit the crisis. Meanwhile, infrastructure projects that could alleviate the situation remain underfunded or stalled. Of the $264 million needed for water and sanitation upgrades, only $8.4 million has been received. Additionally, over $3 billion in foreign aid has remained frozen since the Taliban takeover in 2021, severely limiting the government’s ability to address the crisis.
One of the few hopeful initiatives—a pipeline project to divert water from the Panjshir River to Kabul—could provide clean drinking water to around two million people. However, this project too remains on hold due to a lack of funding. Water experts and humanitarian workers are calling for immediate international intervention to support long-term infrastructure and prevent Kabul’s collapse into a full-blown humanitarian emergency. Dr. Najibullah Sadid, a senior researcher in water resource management, cautioned that the city is heading toward a point of no return, urging that “we don’t have time to sit around waiting for budgets.” As the crisis deepens, Kabul’s future—and the well-being of its nearly seven million residents—hangs in the balance.
