Kabul Faces Catastrophic Water Shortage and Could Run Dry by 2030
Kabul could become the world's first major modern city to run out of water by 2030, as rapid population growth, severe drought, and stalled infrastructure drain its aquifers.
Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is facing an unprecedented water crisis and could run completely dry by 2030, according to a recent report by Prosper Global. Over the past decade, groundwater levels in the city have plummeted by nearly 100 feet due to excessive extraction, leaving six million residents struggling with severe shortages.
An Invisible Disaster Unfolds
For many local families, the reality of the crisis is already a daily battle. Shazia, a mother of three living in the Khair Khana neighborhood, has no running water at home and cannot afford commercial water tankers. Every day, she and her children walk to a local mosque, waiting an hour in line to fill buckets from a manual hand pump. Meanwhile, residents like Mirza have had to drill deeper and more expensive wells, reaching depths of over 700 feet thanks to financial support from relatives abroad.
This is an invisible disaster. The city will soon be left entirely without water.
Climate Change and Political Stagnation
Experts warn that Kabul's crisis stems from a combination of rapid population growth, inadequate infrastructure, and the severe impacts of climate change. Afghanistan has suffered through six consecutive years of drought, and snowpack levels hit a 25-year low. Furthermore, vital infrastructure projects, such as the Indian-funded Shahtoot Dam, have remained stalled since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, halting international aid and leaving the city's vulnerable population to face the looming catastrophe alone.
