Groundwater Quality Assessment in Pul-e-Charkhi Region, Kabul, Afghanistan

Abstract

We present the results of studies conducted on the assessment of groundwater quality observed on several water samples taken from water supply sources in the Pul-e-Charkhi region, which is located near the eastern part of Kabul and has seen steady growth in population after the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on 30 August 2021. The water in the basin serves as the main source of water supply and it consists of water discharge from nearby local industries, automobile repair and wash, Osman House, Gradation Place, International Standards Region, and many other regional sources that create a mix of contaminants in discharge to the basin. We collected several samples from each groundwater source for this investigation and transported them carefully to the research laboratory, maintaining the integrity of the samples. The main objective of this study is to assess groundwater quality for the determination of contaminants in groundwater to see what limitations it may pose for recycling and reuse. Such a study is necessary since the region requires persistent sources of water due to a steady increase in population and an associated shortage of water supply due to arid conditions. Furthermore, there is unavailability of similar data since the region served to support military operations since 2001. The samples were analyzed for temperature, electroconductivity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, salinity, pH, color, turbidity, hardness, chemicals, and heavy metals. The results obtained suggest that the parameters can be used efficiently to design filtration strategies based on region-specific contamination for the specific catchments located in and around the Kabul Basin. An effort to add additional characterization techniques is described to detect micro/nano plastics and new and emerging contaminants. The efforts reported here are consistent with the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.