In 2050, Kabul’s population is expected to reach 9 million, making it one of the fastest growing cities in the world.
As demand for water increases, excess pumping has caused a sharp decline in the groundwater level in recent years.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the groundwater level in Kabul declined by an average of 1.5 meters per year between 2004 and 2012.
Oxfam research shows that competition for water in both rural and urban Afghan communities is increasing, leading to heightened tensions and violence.
The Asia Foundation’s recent Survey of the Afghan People reveals rising concerns over water shortages in Kabul province.
Each year, the survey asks Afghans about their biggest problems in their local areas, and in 2017, significantly more (26%) Afghans in Kabul province reported access to drinking water as a biggest problem compared to the previous year (19%).
The survey also shows that over time, at the national level access to drinking water is consistently one of the most cited problem Afghans report in their local area.
The survey reveals a correlation between awareness of public services like a new drinking water project and perceptions toward issues like confidence in the National Unity Government (NUG), optimism about the direction of country, and willingness to leave the country.
Among the respondents who report that they know about a drinking water project, 41.7 percent say that the country is moving in the right direction, compared to 29.9 percent of those who don’t know about the project.
Since the NUG formed in 2014, President Ashraf Ghani has made water management and building dams a priority for economic growth and development.