What is causing Kabul's severe water crisis?

Kabul's water crisis is caused by a combination of historically low snowfall, leading to drought conditions, and the immense pressure placed on water infrastructure by the return of over five million Afghans from neighboring countries.

How has the influx of Afghan returnees affected water access?

The return of over five million Afghans since 2023 has significantly strained the nation's water infrastructure, with about 70 percent of households in areas hosting returnees reporting worsened access to water.

What is the impact of international aid cuts on Afghanistan's water crisis?

International aid cuts, including a 37 percent decrease in flows in 2025, have forced major NGOs to reduce services, impacting clean water and sanitation support for hundreds of thousands of people and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Home / Environment / Kabul's Water Crisis: Snow Drought Fuels Desperation

Kabul's Water Crisis: Snow Drought Fuels Desperation

1 Feb

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Summary

Kabul's water supply threatened by historic low snowfall.
Returnee influx strains already scarce water resources.
Aid cuts exacerbate humanitarian crisis, impacting millions.

Kabul's Water Crisis: Snow Drought Fuels Desperation

Afghanistan is grappling with a severe water crisis, epitomized by Kabul's critically low water levels due to unusually light snowfall this season, believed to be a 25-year low. This scarcity jeopardizes groundwater reserves, impacting wells and the Qargha Dam, vital for the capital's six million inhabitants.

The situation is further complicated by the return of over five million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan since 2023, a population surge straining the nation's water infrastructure. Approximately 70 percent of households in areas hosting returnees report worsened water access.

Globally, the UN has declared an "era of water bankruptcy," with four billion people experiencing severe water scarcity annually. Afghanistan's crisis is worsened by a 37 percent decrease in humanitarian aid flows in 2025 compared to 2024, forcing major NGOs like Save the Children and Mercy Corps to reduce services.