{
  "id": 12412168,
  "title": "Kabul water crisis deepens as wells dry",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/kabul-water-crisis-deepens-as-wells-dry",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T15:10:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/kabul-water-crisis-afghan-capital-edges-towards-day-zero-as-boreholes-dry-drought-bites-and-aid-stays-frozen/articleshow/134743987.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The water crisis in Kabul is deepening, with its aquifers draining faster than they can be replenished, leading to fears that the city could become the first modern capital to run out of water by 2030. The groundwater levels have fallen by 25 to 30 meters over the past decade, and over half of Kabul's boreholes have already dried up. Currently, only 20% of households are connected to piped water from a central source, and about 90% of residents rely on borewells for their daily water needs. Many families are spending 15% to 30% of their monthly income on water, up from just 5% before 2021. Contamination from sewage and other pollutants is a significant issue, with up to 80% of the city's groundwater posing health risks.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}