UN Builds Solar-Powered Water Network in Nangarhar to Provide Clean Drinking Water
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has announced the construction of a solar-powered water supply network in the Sheikh Mesri area of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, aiming to alleviate the longstanding challenge of access to clean drinking water for dozens of families.
According to the agency, residents of this area have had to travel long distances daily for access to usable water—a burden that has posed serious hardships, especially for women, children, and the elderly.
The project is being implemented with financial support from the United Nations Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (UN-STFA) and aims to provide consistent and reliable access to water without reliance on fossil fuels, utilizing sustainable solar energy instead.
International organizations have consistently highlighted the lack of basic infrastructure—including access to safe drinking water—as one of the major daily challenges in many provinces across Afghanistan. They emphasize that, in the absence of effective investment and planning by the Taliban administration, this burden continues to fall on the shoulders of the people.
