Afghanistan: Kabul’s Unquenchable Thirst: Crisis Looms in Afghan Capital as Groundwater Reserves Run Dry

Feb 15, 2021 | Ben Farmer and Ezzatullah Mehrdad, Telegraph
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When Shoaib Musawi entered the well-digging trade 15 years ago, all he needed to sink a well shaft in central Kabul was a pick and shovel. In the intervening decade-and-a-half, Kabul's unquenchable demand for water has meant Mr Musawi's old methods have now been hopelessly left behind. The unchecked growth of the city has seen demand from its roughly six million inhabitants' cause the water table to plummet and trigger a looming water crisis. Geological surveys have shown the water level dropping by more than 6ft per year in some parts of the city. In the worst affected areas, well diggers like Mr Musawi must now employ drills reaching down sometimes more than 330ft (100m) to secure water.