ICRC Warns of Worsening Water Crisis in Afghanistan

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that Afghanistan's water crisis is worsening, with reduced rainfall, groundwater depletion, the return of millions of migrants, rapid population growth, years of conflict, climate change and underdeveloped infrastructure turning the search for drinking water into a daily battle for millions.

Access to safe and affordable drinking water is severely limited in both urban and rural areas, including major cities such as Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif. Families are often forced to use unsafe surface water or travel long distances for supplies, with women and children bearing the heaviest burden.

In Kandahar, the situation is particularly dire, with many wells dried up and water levels in others reaching depths of more than 100 meters. Fazlur Rahman, a local elder in Kandahar's 9th district, said: "Water is the biggest problem in our community. Even deep wells do not provide enough water, and most families cannot afford to dig private wells." He added that the crisis has led children to miss school to fetch water.

In 2025, the ICRC improved water access for nearly one million people, including more than 775,000 in urban areas and about 160,300 in rural areas. Current projects include a water supply system upgrade in Kandahar expected to benefit 106,300 people, as well as rehabilitation of irrigation systems, canals and karezes. The organization also provided emergency water and sanitation services to more than 27,000 people following the Konar earthquake and border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The ICRC stated that water shortages threaten agriculture, increase risks of food insecurity, malnutrition and waterborne diseases, and exacerbate community tensions over resources. It emphasized that humanitarian aid alone is insufficient, calling for long-term investments in water infrastructure, better resource management and coordination between national institutions and local communities.