Water Pollution in Afghanistan: Kabul Residents Say They Lack Access to Safe Drinking Water
Tawazon – As the United Nations continues to rank Afghanistan among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, access to clean and safe drinking water remains one of the country’s most serious challenges.
Although some water supply services exist in urban areas, many families still rely on water from streams, rivers and other unsafe sources, increasing the risk of infectious diseases.
Water pollution is not limited to rural and remote areas. Residents in major cities, including Kabul also express concern about the quality of drinking water.
Sewage, household waste and other pollutants entering public water sources are considered among the main causes of water contamination.
Residents say even people living in cities face shortages of clean drinking water
Rahman, a resident of Kabul told Tawazon: “Even though we live in the city, we still do not have proper access to clean drinking water. In many remote areas, people use water from streams and unsafe sources, which causes diseases. We hope serious action will be taken to provide clean water.”
Another Kabul resident, Jalal also raised concerns about water sold by private companies. He said their household well has dried up and water from other sources is salty, forcing them to buy drinking water from private suppliers.
According to him, the quality of this water is also questionable because companies often use purification tablets instead of proper filtration systems.
“We buy water from private companies. They add purification tablets to the water but these are not always effective in removing germs. We do not know how safe the water we drink really is. There should be serious monitoring of water quality and people should have access to safe drinking water”, Jalal said.
Environmental experts say air and water pollution are closely linked and worsening environmental problem continue to reduce the quality of water resources.
Abdul Hadi Achakzai, an environmental expert told Tawazon that both surface and groundwater resources in Afghanistan are increasingly affected by pollution.
“Air pollution increases every year and water pollution is also worsening.Afghanistan lacks the technical resources, financial support and facilities needed to properly manage environmental problems”, Jalal said.
Health workers also warn that the use of contaminated water can lead to the spread of diseases.
Dr. Haroon Waziri said polluted water can cause illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis and other diseases.
“Boiling water, filtering it and using safe water sources are among the most effective ways to prevent these illnesses,” he said.
Alongside water pollution, the depletion of groundwater, especially in Kabul has become another major challenge for many Afghans.
Meanwhile, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a recent report that although agricultural conditions in many parts of Afghanistan remain relatively stable,water shortages continue to raise serious concerns.
The report warned that water scarcity, plant diseases, pests and climate change remain major threats in in several regions of the country. It pointed to the possible emergence of the El Nino climate phenomenon later in 2026 and stressed the need for continuous monitoring.
The United Nations has previously said Afghanistan is among the ten countries most affected by climate change and environmental challenges.
The UN estimates that around 2.1 billion people worldwide still lack regular access to safe drinking water.
According to the 2026 World Water Development Report prepared by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, women and girls often carry the greatest burden of collecting water for their families because of limited access to clean water and sanitation services.
The report examined the connection between water access and gender equality, emphasizing that access to water is a fundamental human right, but the burdan of securing that right is not shared equally.