Water Crisis in Afghanistan Worsens Amid Massive Return of Migrants
Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented water crisis in recent decades, coinciding with the large-scale return of migrants from neighboring countries, putting additional pressure on its limited water resources. International organizations have described the situation as “catastrophic” and warned that failure to take immediate action could lead to severe humanitarian, economic, and even security consequences.
According to a report by The Independent, the severe reduction in rainfall and snowfall this winter, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, has cast serious doubts on the future water supply for Kabul and other cities. Ershad Malak, head of the Child Protection Agency in Asia, stated after a visit to Kabul that this year’s snowfall has been significantly less than in previous years, a decline that poses a direct threat to the replenishment of groundwater.
Assessments indicate that groundwater levels in Kabul have dropped between 25 to 30 meters over the past decade, with nearly half of the city’s wells having dried up. Moreover, about 80 percent of Kabul’s groundwater is contaminated with sewage and saline substances, rendering it unsafe for drinking. As a result, many families are forced to spend nearly 30 percent of their monthly income on purchasing drinking water.
Alongside intensifying climate change, Afghanistan has witnessed the return of over five million migrants from Iran and Pakistan since 2023; this influx has increased the country’s population by more than 10 percent and subjected the already deteriorated water infrastructures to unprecedented strain. In 2025 alone, approximately 2.9 million Afghan migrants returned to the country, while no clear or transparent planning from the Taliban administration to manage this population pressure has been reported.
Mercy Corps has warned that three-quarters of families in areas hosting returnees consider access to safe drinking water to be “difficult or very difficult.” The organization has also noted rising local tensions and conflicts over water resources in some regions, with about 40 percent of tribal conflicts in Afghanistan now directly linked to water access. This situation highlights the lack of accountable and fair water management.
In southern provinces, particularly Kandahar, consecutive droughts have forced farmers to abandon their lands. One farmer said, “The place that was once green and prosperous has now turned into a desert. Drought is a silent killer that destroys everything.”
Compounding all these challenges, a sharp reduction in international humanitarian aid has deepened the crisis. Reports show that humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in 2025 has decreased by 37 percent compared to the previous year, causing organizations such as Child Protection and Mercy Corps to halt or limit vital water and health projects. This has deprived hundreds of thousands of residents of essential services.
