The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) warned this week that 21 million people in Afghanistan are currently facing a serious water crisis and that the country needs major investments in water infrastructure.
Stephanie Loose, the head of the programme, said in a report that major Afghan cities such as Kabul, Kandahar and Herat are also facing a serious shortage of clean drinking water and that groundwater resources in these cities are decreasing significantly.
However, last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan reported that an estimated 33 million people in the country face severe water shortage.
Marking World Water Day on March 22, the ICRC quoted a Kabul resident Shafiqullah Hamkar of District 5 in Kabul city as saying: “Our borewells have completely dried up because of the minimal snowfall and rainfall over the last few years.
“The sharp decline in groundwater levels has left us no choice but to rely on commercial water tankers for our most basic needs. It is a big challenge for us in the city,” he said.
ICRC said Hamkar represents an estimated 80% of Afghans who are dealing with the severe impact of erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and droughts.
The situation is even worse in rural areas where people often rely on untreated surface water, which leads to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea.
“For millions of Afghans, who are already struggling with many challenges and facing a dire humanitarian situation, vital activities such as getting water to drink or cook and providing irrigation for crops are often impossible. This has a devastating impact on people’s health and access to food, and hampers the country’s potential for economic development,” says Martin De Boer, the head of programs for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan.
He added that the lack of required infrastructure – including water-supply systems, dams and irrigation networks – further exacerbates the challenges. Responding to the needs of the people, the ICRC plays an important role in supporting communities and assisting authorities to improve and manage water supplies.
