Kabul’s Water No Longer Drinkable

DIDpress: A number of Kabul residents have complained about the city’s widespread water pollution, saying that tap and pump water is no longer safe to drink, forcing them to spend thousands of afghanis each month on bottled water.

Marjan, a resident of Kabul’s District 7, told local media that she has been using bottled water for drinking and cooking for several years, as the tap and pump water has an unpleasant taste and smell.

“The taste of the city’s water has changed,” she said. “That’s because septic wells are built without proper standards and there is no proper sewage system. Our water pump now brings up dirt and sand, and even when it looks clear, it still tastes bad.”

Environmental activists say the rapid population growth in the capital, the widespread use of absorption wells for sewage, and the lack of a proper sewer system are the main causes of groundwater contamination in Kabul.

According to them, in many areas, sewage wells are dug close to drinking water wells, allowing pollutants to seep into the groundwater.

If immediate action is not taken to purify and manage urban wastewater, Kabul’s water crisis could turn into a major public health disaster.