Environmental experts are urging Kabul residents to dig absorption wells to strengthen groundwater reserves by capturing rainwater and snow. They explain that this step can help slow the decline of groundwater levels and improve water management across the city. With seasonal rainfall increasing, they describe absorption wells as a practical and effective solution, even though the cost remains high.
In interviews with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, these experts stress that cooperation between Kabul residents and responsible institutions can prevent a future water shortage crisis. They say people must learn how to use rainwater and snow more effectively, which requires broad public awareness and cultural change. In their view, the Taliban Ministry of Energy and Water and other relevant institutions should guide and support residents and actively encourage them to dig absorption wells.
Kazim Homayoun, an environmental expert, says absorption wells can play a key role in strengthening Kabul’s groundwater. He explains that the plains surrounding the city are suitable for such wells, but only after careful geological studies. According to him, these wells work best in areas where underground water veins already exist.
Mr. Homayoun says, “When we dig absorption wells where we live, we help groundwater recharge naturally. This method works best in places with water veins, because the water can seep into underground aquifers. The final result depends on how many wells are built and how much water they store, and it is not possible to calculate this precisely in advance.” He adds that permeable soil offers the best conditions for digging absorption wells.
Despite these benefits, he warns that absorption wells also bring serious challenges. He explains that groundwater in Kabul lies at a very deep level. He also warns that pollution poses a major risk, since the city contains heavy metals. Widespread coal use releases substances such as cadmium, mercury, and lead, which can seep into groundwater. He adds that digging these wells requires significant funding, and the Taliban lack the capacity to build them on a large scale.
At the same time, some Kabul residents say both the public and Taliban officials have failed to pay enough attention to the growing water crisis. They point out that most new buildings are concrete houses constructed without green spaces, absorption wells, or systems to store rainwater and snow. They warn that continuing this approach will only deepen Kabul’s water shortage.
Ahmad, a resident of the Chahar Qala area, says Kabul faces a serious water crisis, yet both people and the Taliban continue to ignore it. He urges the media to educate citizens about practical solutions that could help ease the situation.
“Every day, people build concrete houses without following any standards,” Ahmad says. “In the past, sewage wells were turned into absorption wells in the name of modernization, and now the result is clear. The water is no longer drinkable. People should store snow under trees and manage rainwater properly instead of wasting it.”
Siddiq, another Kabul resident, says Taliban officials must work with the public to ensure responsible water use and to make better use of rainfall during wet seasons.
“Water scarcity is a global problem,” Siddiq says. “As the population grows, the demand for water-dependent infrastructure also increases. We lack a clear system to manage flowing water, our urban network is disorganized, and proper water management does not exist. If this continues, many families will lose access to drinking water. This issue must be addressed, and people must take responsibility as well.”
Mujib Saabir, a Kabul resident, says that more people have recently begun digging absorption wells alongside water wells to store rainwater and snow. “In Kabul, it has become a necessity,” he says. “Anyone who digs a new water well now needs an absorption well too. The capital is facing a real water crisis, and people are finally understanding this. There has been no snowfall in Kabul so far. In the past, when water was plentiful, people dumped snow into the streets. Last year, they collected it and carried it into their courtyards to help reduce the water shortage.”
Kabul, the most populous city in Afghanistan, continues to grow rapidly and has struggled with a severe water shortage for more than a decade. Addressing this crisis requires fast, effective action and long-term planning.
Earlier, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) warned that falling groundwater levels put nearly six million people in Kabul at risk. The organization said solving the crisis demands large-scale investment, strong institutional cooperation, and greater public awareness of water use and management.
Mercy Corps has issued a similar warning, saying around six million Kabul residents face a critical water shortage. The organization reported that half of the city’s deep wells have dried up and warned that Kabul could face the risk of running dry by 2030.
According to Mercy Corps, groundwater levels in Kabul have dropped by about 30 percent over the past decade, with rapid urbanization and the climate crisis driving the worsening water situation in the capital of Afghanistan.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
کابل تشنه؛ چاههای جذبی آخرین امید نجات پایتخت از بحران کمآبی
