Septic systems in Kabul city are among the issues that have received less attention and have recently raised concerns among a large number of residents of this city. At the same time, several environmental experts also consider the existence of these systems as a serious threat to public health and a factor in increasing groundwater pollution. They say that this issue not only exacerbates the water shortage crisis but also brings heavy economic and social consequences.
A number of Kabul residents say that the existence of septic systems has increased their concerns about increasing groundwater pollution. They describe the continuation of this situation as dangerous and emphasize that even now, clean and drinkable water is hardly found.
Ahmad Rahimi (pseudonym), a resident of Kabul city, expresses concern, saying that in many areas of the city, the urban sewerage system has not been built in a standard and hygienic manner, and septic systems in most houses are absorption type. He adds, “It has been about nine months since we rented a new house and have been living in it. When I asked the landlord about the septic system, he said that this system is an absorption type and does not fill up quickly. The previous residents were also here for about three years and never emptied this system.”
Mr. Rahimi says that this matter has added to his concerns about increasing groundwater pollution, because now he buys water daily for drinking and cooking, but he fears the day when he will be forced to buy water even for washing clothes and dishes.
Zaki Mohammadi (pseudonym), one of Kabul’s residents who is an engineer himself, says they built the luxurious building that he is currently supervising about 20 years ago; a beautiful and equipped structure where the only point that creates a guilty conscience for him is its septic system. According to Mr. Mohammadi, this system is located in the basement of the building, has a depth of about 10 meters, and all four sides are perforated.
This is while even now, a large number of capital residents are forced to spend a significant amount daily on purchasing purified water to provide clean water, and their concern about increasing groundwater pollution has increased more than before.
Bahar Sadat, one of the residents of the eleventh district of Kabul city, says that she spends more than 100 afghanis daily on purchasing purified water, because municipal tap water and water pump water are not drinkable. She adds, “Municipal tap water not only has no taste, but when tea is brewed with it, the color of the tea becomes dark and close to black, and an abnormal layer forms on top of it.”
Ms. Sadat states that an issue that has recently added to her concerns is the lack of a standard system for septic systems; a matter that she believes can lead to further pollution of water resources. Bahar continues: “Daily purchase of water for a family that has only one breadwinner is not a simple matter. Only a small number of families have the financial ability to buy healthy water, but what health problems and diseases will families who are unable to purchase face?”
However, some environmental experts also warn that the lack of a standard sewage treatment system, along with rapid population growth, is considered a serious alarm bell for public health and the sustainability of water resources.
Sayed Mohammad Sulaiman Khel, an environmental expert, says in this regard: “On one hand, we face water shortage and on the other hand, if this same water becomes contaminated with human sewage, all existing water resources in Kabul will become unusable.”
This environmental expert also says: “When human sewage reaches groundwater through septic systems, it creates a serious threat to public health. In addition, there are also economic and social consequences; treatment costs increase, and water productivity decreases.”
This is while the non-governmental organization “Mercy Corps” has warned in a report that up to 80 percent of Kabul’s groundwater resources have become contaminated. Based on this report, Kabul may become the first capital city in modern world history to face complete drought.
At the same time, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme also warned that the residents of Afghanistan’s capital are facing an “unprecedented crisis” of water shortage. This United Nations office has added that the water level in Kabul has decreased significantly and has put about six million people at risk of water shortage.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
چاههای جذبی فاضلاب؛ تهدید خاموش سلامت و آبهای زیرزمینی کابل
