“Kabul Faces Acute Water Crisis as ‘Pipes Are Cut,’ Say Residents”

Residents in parts of Kabul are grappling with a worsening water crisis, with many saying.

They are forced to carry heavy containers over long distances or pay for expensive trucked-in supplies as groundwater levels continue to fall.

In the Deh Mazang neighbourhood, located on a steep hillside in one of Kabul’s poorer districts, 52-year-old Marofa described the daily struggle to access water. Standing in a muddy lane, she pointed to her grey-white hair as she spoke about the physical toll.

“You see this hair? Even I, with my white hair, have to carry water,” she said. “These containers are heavy. We have no strength left in our backs, no strength left in our legs.”

While a nearby mosque has a well that provides free water, residents say it is not safe to drink, with the supply described as yellowish and brackish. As a result, many depend on water delivered by three-wheeled vehicles, which is sold at prices many say they cannot afford.

“We have no money for food. How can we get water?” said 90-year-old resident Wali Mohammad, voicing frustration over the situation.

Both residents said that months after the Taliban took control in 2021, authorities cut off pipes that some households had installed to draw water from a communal well. Mohammad alleged that no explanation was provided.

“They cut off our water. They are powerful and they don’t even give us a reason why,” he said.

However, another resident, 32-year-old Najibullah Rahimi, offered a different perspective, saying the informal pipelines had reduced the well’s water level, leaving those living higher up the area without access. “So the government came and cut the pipes,” he said.

Kabul, situated in a high-altitude valley of the Hindu Kush mountains, is facing a rapidly deepening water crisis. The city relies heavily on groundwater, but levels have been declining sharply for years. In some areas, wells now need to be drilled as deep as 150 metres to reach water.

A report published in April 2025 by aid organisation Mercy Corps warned that Kabul’s aquifers have dropped by 25–30 metres over the past decade. It cautioned that without major intervention, the city could face a severe humanitarian crisis within the next decade—or even sooner.

Experts say climate change is worsening the situation, with reduced snowfall limiting natural groundwater recharge. Instead, heavier but less frequent rainfall often leads to runoff rather than absorption into aquifers.

However, climate change is only part of the problem. Rapid urbanisation and population growth have also placed immense pressure on water resources. Kabul’s population has more than doubled in the past two decades, rising from about 2.5 million in 2001 to an estimated 6 million today, driven in part by returnees from neighbouring countries.

Water resources expert Najibullah Sadid noted that unregulated extraction, combined with growing demand, has accelerated depletion. In some areas, shallow aquifers have already dried up, while urban expansion has reduced natural ground absorption.

Authorities acknowledge the severity of the crisis. Ministry of Water and Energy spokesperson Qari Matiullah Abid said the situation is “critical,” citing population growth, reduced rainfall, and rising consumption.

The government says it has taken steps including restrictions on groundwater use for commercial activities, installation of water meters, and limits on high-usage businesses. It has also constructed small check dams and stormwater absorption wells, and recently completed the Shah wa Arous Dam.

However, experts say these measures fall short of addressing the scale of the crisis. Two major long-term projects—a pipeline from the Panjshir River and the proposed Shah Toot Dam—remain delayed due to funding and administrative hurdles.

The pipeline alone could supply water to millions, according to estimates, but officials say further revisions are still required before construction can begin. The dam project, meanwhile, could take years to complete even if funding is secured.

Experts argue that essential water infrastructure has long been under-prioritised compared to visible construction projects such as roads and flyovers.

“Water is more important than roads,” Sadid said, warning that without urgent large-scale investment, Kabul’s water crisis will continue to worsen in the coming years.