Water Supply to the City of Kabul

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Water Supply to the City of Kabul

By Malik Mortaza
It is generally accepted that the provision of safe water and proper sanitation was a major
factor behind the improvement of living conditions and economic standards in the
developing world. Afghanistan is one of the world’s least developed nations, where life
expectancy is between 40 and 42.5 years, and the child mortality rate is 1 out of 329. Less
than 7% of the population, most of whom are located in urban areas, has access to safe
drinking water.
In the Kabul City area, the population is estimated to increase from 720,000 in 1357 (1978)
to 2,076,000 in 1384 (2005).
At present, the bulk of urban and rural water supplies for domestic and other municipal
purposes are obtained from ground water sources, e.g. springs, karezes, and manmade
wells.
Kabul City’s water supply and sewerage system has been addressed in two master plan
reports, which were prepared by two Canadian engineering companies:
Kabul City’s water and sewer system Master Plan Report was prepared by
Proctor and Redfern International Limited (PRIL) in 1973 and revised in 1979. After
the citywide municipal water supply and sewerage systems are installed as planned, the
estimated water demand for the Kabul City area from the aquifers in 2005 will be 535,400
m3/day (6.2m3/sec). The total public water supply in 1978 was 35,000 m3/day. It is
estimated that in 1357(1978), a total population of 363 ,000 was served by the water supply
system in the Kabul City area (excluding private wells) and the average demand on this
system was 35,000 m3/day. Total water use in the Kabul City area in 1357 is estimated to
have been 84,000 m3/day or 1m3/s.
Master Plan studies of the water resources of the Kabul River Basin were prepared by
Montreal Engineering Company in 1980, which also addressed the Kabul City water
supply. The Master Plan studies have shown that the need for water in the Kabul City area
for irrigation and hydroelectric power can be met by the water resources of the Basin. This .
need can be satisfied during the planning period until 1384 (2005) by careful selection of
the projects to be developed, and by taking full advantage of opportunities for multipurpose
use and management. Four alternatives have been drawn up, each of which represents a
viable option to be considered by the government. The two most promising sites to develop
surface storage and thereby enhance aquifer capabilities are the Gat Site on the Logar River
and the Hajian Site on the Maidan River. Interbasin transfer for water supply to the Kabul
City area could be affected by either the Panjshir/ Ghorband river system or from headwater
of the Helmand River. Water demand in the Kabul City area can be met at minimum cost by
constructing, in order, the Gat and Hajian sites and an interbasin transfer.
The report suggested that a minimum flow of 1 m3/s should be provided in the main stem
of the Kabul River in the city for pollution control in the five-month period of May to
September.
Note: In the United States, water consumption ranges from 50 to 75 gallons per person per
day.