The Troubled Waters Of Afghanistan: A Nation's Struggle With Pollution

Water pollution is a pressing issue in Afghanistan, where the majority of households lack access to safe drinking water. The contamination of water sources by harmful bacteria, industrial waste, and poor waste management practices poses significant risks to human health and the environment. Afghanistan's water resources are under threat from various factors, including climate change, population growth, and inadequate infrastructure. The country's ecological challenges, including water pollution, have been exacerbated by decades of conflict and poor resource management, hindering its prospects for peace and development.

Water pollution and poor sanitation

The lack of proper waste management and disposal systems has led to the contamination of underground water supplies in most major cities. Medical waste from hospitals, which often contains poisons and infectious materials, is sometimes disposed of in dumpsites or left above ground, seeping into the groundwater supply over time. Oil refineries also contribute to water contamination, with crude oil spills and leaks reaching residential water supplies in Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.

The lack of access to sanitation facilities has resulted in 20% of the population, mostly in rural areas, practising open defecation, often in the rivers they drink from. This further contributes to water contamination and the spread of waterborne diseases. Traditional latrines, while a better option, still lead to disease and infection due to the lack of proper waste disposal systems.

The use of septic tanks as an alternative to wastewater treatment facilities is also problematic. These tanks often leak, contaminating groundwater and the wells that people rely on for drinking water.

Afghanistan's geographical location as a landlocked country further exacerbates the issue. Disputes with neighbouring countries over the flow of water from mountain rivers, Afghanistan's main water source, have been ongoing. The lack of sufficient reservoirs, canals, and infrastructure results in only 30-35% of the water from the mountains staying in Afghanistan.

Climate change has also impacted water availability and quality. Higher temperatures have led to earlier snowmelt in the mountains, and combined with drought conditions, have reduced water levels and increased water scarcity during the summer months.

Despite these challenges, there are efforts to improve the situation. The Afghan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation has been working to construct clean water posts, and external organisations like GIZ are providing support and training to overhaul the country's water infrastructure. UNICEF is also actively working to address water and sanitation issues, particularly in schools and health centres, and to increase access to clean water for vulnerable communities.

Lack of access to safe drinking water

Afghanistan has a population of 29-32.5 million, with 79% living in rural areas. Only 42-45.5% of Afghans have access to safe drinking water, and this number drops to 20% in rural areas, the lowest percentage in the world. In Kabul, with a population of 6 million, 80% of people lack access to safe drinking water.

The lack of access to safe drinking water is due to a combination of factors, including decades of war, geographical constraints, climate change, and a lack of education on clean water and sanitation. War has destroyed much of the country's infrastructure, including water pump stations. Afghanistan is a landlocked country and has disputes with its neighbours over the flow of water from its mountain rivers, which are the country's main source of water. Due to a lack of reservoirs, canals, and infrastructure, only 30-35% of the water coming from the mountains stays in Afghanistan.

The water that is available is often contaminated. In most major cities, underground water supplies have been compromised due to a lack of canalization, proper waste management, and proper waste disposal. Medical waste from hospitals, which can contain poisons and infectious material, is sometimes disposed of in dumpsites along with the rest of the city's waste, contaminating water and air with bacteria and viruses. Oil refineries are another source of water contamination, with crude oil spills and leaks reaching residential water supplies.

The lack of access to safe drinking water has severe consequences for the health of Afghans, especially children. Diarrhea, caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation, is the leading cause of illness in children under five years old and leads to malnourishment and further health problems. In total, 25% of deaths among children under five are directly attributed to contaminated water and bad sanitation.

Efforts to Improve Access to Safe Drinking Water

Despite the dire situation, there are some efforts underway to improve access to safe drinking water in Afghanistan. The Afghan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation has been working to construct clean water posts, and external organizations such as GIZ, a German company, are providing support and expertise. Local institutions have also been formed to teach communities about water conservation and hygiene.

The lack of access to safe drinking water in Afghanistan is a critical issue that has far-reaching impacts on the health and well-being of Afghans, especially in rural areas. Efforts to improve access to safe drinking water are underway, but more work is needed to ensure that all Afghans have access to this basic necessity.

Climate change and drought

Afghanistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change. The country has experienced a temperature increase of 1.8 °C since 1950, and this has had far-reaching impacts, including overlapping interactions of natural disasters, conflict, agricultural dependency, and socio-economic hardship. Climate change has also led to a reduction in precipitation, resulting in a drop in water levels.

Afghanistan is among the top 10 countries experiencing extreme weather conditions and natural disasters, including droughts, storms, avalanches, and earthquakes. The country endured its worst drought in 30 years in 2022 and now faces its third consecutive year of drought. At least 60% of the population is dependent on rain-fed agriculture, but changes in rain and snow patterns are severely eroding livelihood practices, worsening food insecurity, malnutrition, and disease.

Drought is the most frequently reported shock experienced by households in Afghanistan, increasing from 39% in 2021 to 64% in 2022. Today, 25 out of 34 provinces experience either severe or catastrophic drought conditions, affecting more than 50% of the population. This is compounded by worsening economic hardship and the effects of four decades of war, which have left half the population in acute hunger, including 6 million people on the brink of famine.

The occurrence of the La Niña phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean at the end of 2020 meant that Afghanistan experienced a drier and warmer than normal wet season from October 2020 to May 2021. This resulted in one of the worst droughts of the past two decades, with water resources in the south, western, and northwestern parts of the country severely reduced. The entire Central Asian region and further west to Iran and Turkey experienced a considerable reduction in snow and rain compared to previous years. For Afghanistan, where the annual water supply relies largely on winter precipitation in the mountains that accumulate as glaciers, snow, and ice, this has had devastating consequences.

The reduction in precipitation, especially snow, also had repercussions for groundwater, the primary source of drinking water in urban and rural areas. The groundwater table in Kabul city dropped by 12 meters in 2021 alone. Extensive groundwater extraction upstream of the Afghan capital has partially caused this rapid decline. In addition, the use of sewage waste and street water for irrigation in populated areas is prohibited due to public health concerns and its unpleasant odor.

Afghanistan's hot, dry summers pose chronic challenges, but the coming winters are expected to be even more difficult. Barren harvests and livestock losses due to drought and feed shortages have left farmers with no choice but to sell their few remaining assets. The receding water table won't be able to support the human population, and harsh weather will make transportation between towns impossible, even as extreme weather and conflict force families to flee their homes or temporary shelters multiple times.

The impacts of climate change have driven food insecurity to unprecedented levels. According to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Afghanistan is on the brink of a starvation crisis, with more than half of its population projected to face acute food insecurity. The situation in Afghanistan is compounded by the decades-long vicious cycle of climate change and conflict. Maybe there was a drought or a flood that forced people to move before the conflict caught up with them. Or conflict is ongoing when a climate disaster strikes. Either way, each crisis adds another layer of vulnerabilities—lives and assets are lost, and people become more impoverished.

Poor waste management

Lack of Proper Sewage Systems

Afghanistan has long struggled with the absence of an adequate sewage system, which has resulted in hazardous conditions in urban areas. In Kabul, for instance, human waste was disposed of in open sewers, eventually flowing into the Kabul River and contaminating the city's drinking water. This issue is not unique to Kabul; across Afghanistan, open sewers are common, while wastewater treatment is rare.

Impact on Water Quality

The lack of proper waste management severely affects water quality in Afghanistan. Water sources are often contaminated with harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, which poses a significant health risk, especially to children and the elderly. Additionally, valuable water resources are polluted by the disposal of industrial and domestic liquid wastes, with household discharge and street waste frequently ending up in streams.

Health Risks

The poor waste management and resulting water contamination have dire consequences for human health in Afghanistan. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 27,000 deaths per year in Afghanistan are caused by Household Air Pollution (HAP), which includes the burning of waste. Furthermore, WHO estimates that poor access to water and sanitation contributes to increased diarrhoeal disease prevalence, resulting in approximately 10,000 deaths per year, primarily among children under five.

Initiatives for Improvement

Recognizing the severity of the situation, efforts are being made to address the poor waste management and water quality issues in Afghanistan. The Afghan Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Corporation has been working to construct clean water posts, providing access to clean water for one million people. Additionally, external organizations like GIZ, with backing from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, are collaborating with local entities to decentralize and overhaul Afghanistan's water infrastructure.

Conflict and population growth

Afghanistan has a long history of conflict and resource degradation, with water being the most contentious issue. The country's water crisis has been a significant driver of conflict, and its fast-growing population exacerbates the problem.

Afghanistan's population has ballooned from 13.2 million in 1979 to an estimated 40 million today. This rapid population growth has put immense pressure on the country's already limited water resources. The majority of Afghans, around 80%, are engaged in agriculture and livestock-raising, which uses almost 99% of the country's water resources. With an increasing population depending on a finite resource, the competition for water has intensified, leading to conflicts within communities and across borders.

The lack of access to safe drinking water is a critical issue in Afghanistan. Nationwide, the majority of households do not have access to clean water. In major cities like Kabul, the situation is dire, with more than 70% of the population lacking access to safe drinking water. The scarcity of water is exacerbated by contamination due to improper waste disposal, industrial activities, and agricultural practices.

Conflict has played a significant role in the degradation of Afghanistan's water resources. Decades of war have destroyed much of the country's infrastructure, including water pump stations and irrigation systems. The ongoing conflict has also hindered the country's ability to address ecological threats and adapt to climate change.

Climate change has further compounded the water crisis in Afghanistan. Rising temperatures have led to the early melting of snow in the mountains, resulting in reduced water availability during the summer months when it is needed the most. Additionally, droughts due to climate change have severely impacted Afghanistan, leading to food shortages and agricultural crises.

The combination of conflict, population growth, and climate change has created a perfect storm that has severely impacted Afghanistan's water resources and the livelihoods of its people. The country's water crisis has fueled conflicts within communities and with neighboring nations, hindering the prospects for peace and development.

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