Dear MEL Topic Readers,
‘End is near’: Will Kabul become first big city without water by 2030?
Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan with a population of around seven
million, which has increased by sevenfold since 2001. The city's water
resources mainly rely on snow and glacier melt from the Hindu Kush
mountains, feeding three rivers and aquifers. While the water consumption has
increased drastically because of the population increase and warmer air
temperature, the water supply hasn’t. In addition, global warming events, such
as more frequent droughts, less snow and rain, and earlier snowmelts, are
reducing the water supply to the region. As a result, almost half of Kabul’s
underground bore wells, which have provided much-needed drinking water for the
city’s residents, have dried up. Also, the water in many of the surviving wells
is unregulated and contaminated, which could cause serious health problems to
those who rely on them. Because of the years of wars and domestic conflicts, the
infrastructure for water supply, treatment, and distribution has long been
neglected. Unless actions are taken immediately and broadly, Kabul’s aquifers
will have dried up before the end of this decade. Which is more essential for
the government, supplying water or banning music?
Read the article and learn about the water supply problem in the
capital city of Afghanistan.
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