Analysis of Groundwater Quality in Paghman Selected Regions, Kabul, Afghanistan

Authors

  • Muhibullah Rasouli Department of Hydraulic Structures Engineering, Faculty of Water and Environmental Engineering, Kabul Polytechnic University, Afghanistan
  • Hafizullah Rasouli Department of Geology, Geoscience Faculty, Kabul University, Jamal Mina 1006, Kabul, Afghanistan
  • Ashok Vaseashta Strategic Research Division, International Clean Water Institute, Manassas, 20108 - 0258, VA, USA

Keywords:

Groundwater quality, Physical properties, Chemical parameters, Paghman, Kabul

Abstract

This study examines groundwater quality in the Paghman region of Kabul, Afghanistan, drawing on relevant groundwater data to support the analysis. The primary objective is to assess groundwater quality across different areas of the Kabul Paghman regions and evaluate its suitability for human health, as groundwater is the primary water source for most communities in the region. Where contamination is suspected, groundwater quality can be evaluated through a range of laboratory analyses, including physical, chemical, and biological tests. In this investigation, particular emphasis is placed on chemical and physical parameters. The scope of the study was constrained by limited access to analytical instruments, as a complete set of equipment required for a comprehensive groundwater assessment was unavailable.

Author Biography

  • Ashok Vaseashta, Strategic Research Division, International Clean Water Institute, Manassas, 20108 - 0258, VA, USA

    Prof. Dr. Acad. Ashok Vaseashta received a Ph.D. from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA in 1990 followed by Kobe’s post-doctoral fellowship. He was awarded an Honoris Causa doctorate from Riga Technical University, Honorary membership of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, and a Gold Medal for his leadership in Nanotechnology from the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. Currently, he is CEO/CRO and Executive Director for strategic research with the International Clean Water Institute in Virginia, USA, and Professor at the Institutul de Cercetare al Universităţii din București. He served as a Professor at Virginia Tech and Marshall University, Director of Research at the Institute for Advanced Sciences Convergence and International Clean Water Institute for Norwich University Applied Research Institutes, Vice-Provost (Rector) for Research in South Carolina, and Executive Director and Chair of the Institutional Review Board at a State University in New Jersey. He held visiting positions as a Professor at the Riga Technical University, Latvia, 3 Nano-SAE Research Centre, University of Bucharest, Romania, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania, member of CIRET, France, and a scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. He served the U.S. Department of State in two rotations, as a strategic S&T advisor in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism, and as a U.S. diplomat. He served as NATO project director for 7 activities funded under NATO’s Science for Peace and Security program. Inspired by nature and guided by societal necessities, he strives for technological innovations to address the global challenges of the 21st century. His research interests span nanotechnology, environmental/ecological science, heuristics, critical infrastructure safety and security, foresight, and the environmental impact of micro/nano plastics - all using the nexus of advanced technological solution platforms. He is the author/editor of 21 books and has published over 350 articles in scientific journals, book chapters, and conferences. He serves on the editorial boards of several international journals and is an active member of various professional organizations.

References

Arian, H., Kayastha, R. B., Bikas, C. B., Ahuti, S., Rasouli, H., Armstrong, R., 2015. Application of the Snowmelt Runoff Model in the Salang River Basin, Afghanistan Using MODIS Satellite Data. Journal of Hydrology and Meteorology 9 (1), SOHAM, Nepal. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhm.v9i1.15586.

Bohannon, R.G., Turner, K.J., 2007. Geologic map of quadrangle 3468, Chak Wardak- Syahgerd (509) and Kabul (510) quadrangles, Afghanistan: U.S. Geological Survey. Open- File Report 2005–1107–A. 1 sheet.

Bohannon, R.G., 2005. Geologic map of quadrangle 3468, Chak-e-Wardak (509) and Kabul (510) quadrangles: Afghan Open-File Report (509/510) 2005-1001.

Chenini, I., Ben Mammou, A., Turki, M.M., Mercier, E., 2009. Piezometric levels as a possible indicator of aquifer structure: analysis of the data from Maknassy basin aquifer system (Central Tunisia). Arabian Journal of Geosciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0050-4.

Castany, G., 1967. Unité des eaux de surface et des eaux souterraines, principe fondamental de la mise en valeur des ressources hydrologiques (Unit of surface water and groundwater, a fundamental principle of the development of water resources). Bull. A.I.H.S., N° 3: 22-30, Paris.

DACAAR Landell Mills, 2007–2017. Groundwater Level Changes.

David, K., 2018. EIA-Environmental Impact Assessment for Beest Hazari Water Supply Project (BWSP) Barchi-Kabul. Prepared by: Afghanite Creative Consortium.

Dhal, R.K., 2006. Geology for Technical Students, Printed at Apollo Offset Press Pvt. Ltd., Chanbahil, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Dojlido, J.R., Best G.A., 1993. Chemistry of Water and Water Pollution. Ellis Harwood, New York.

Gray, N.F., 1994. Drinking Water Quality, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester. Dynamic Vision. (2019). Water Quality Assessment Report.

Landell Mills. 2017a. Consultancy for Kabul Managed Aquifer Recharge Project Preparation. Report. (ADB-TA: 8969 AFG). 13 pp.

Landell Mills, 2017b. Technical Report 1: Main Report.

Landell Mills, 2017c. Groundwater Knowledge Base of Kabul City Report.

Landell Mills, 2018. Groundwater Modeling Report.

Mania, J., Imerzoukene, S., Braillon, J.M., 1985. 13. Ettazarini, S., 2007. Groundwater potentiality index: Pollution saline de la nappe côtière à l’est d’Alger (Salt pollution of the coastal aquifer east of Algiers). Journal of Hydrology 3, 213-226.

Rasouli H., 2021b. Analysis of Groundwater Quality in Jabal Sarage and Charikar Districts, Parwan, Afghanistan. Journal of Geological Research 3 (4), 45-55. https://doi.org/10.30564/jgr.v3i4.3717.

Rasouli, H., 2022. Climate change impacts on water resources and air pollution in Kabul Sub-basins, Afghanistan. Advances in Geological and Geotechnical Engineering Research 4 (1), 11-27. https://doi.org/10.30564/agger.v4i1.4312.

Rasouli, H., Vaseashta, A., 2023a, Groundwater Quality Assessment in Pul-e-Charkhi Region, Kabul, Afghanistan. Advances in Geological and Geotechnical Engineering Research. 5 (4), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.30564/agger.v5i4.5949.

Rasouli, H., Vaseashta, A., Hamdard, M.H., 2023a. Sedimentological study of Chack Hydropower Reservoir, Wardak, Afghanistan. International Journal of Earth Sciences Knowledge and Applications 5 (1), 21-32.

Rasouli, H., 2020. Well design and stratigraphy of Sheerkhana Deep Well in Chak District, Wardak, Afghanistan. International Journal of Geology, Earth and Environmental Sciences 10 (2), 54-68.

Saffi, M.H., 2011. Hydrogeology, Ground Water, Natural Resources, and Quality Concerns in Kabul Basin (DACAAR). Kabul. Afghanistan.

Tünnemeier, T., Houben, G., 2005. Hydrogeology of Kabul Basin Part 1, Geology, Aquifer characteristics, climate, and hydrography (BGR). Kabul. Afghanistan.

Vaseashta, A., 2015. Life cycle analysis of nanoparticles: Risk, assessment, and sustainability. ISBN: 9781605950235, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, DEStech Publications, Inc.

Vaseashta, A., Duca, G., Culighin, E., Bogdevici, O., Khudaverdyan, S., Sidorenko, A., 2020. Smart And Connected Sensors Network for Water Contamination Monitoring and Situational Awareness. In: Sidorenko, A., Hahn, H. (eds) Functional Nanostructures and Sensors for CBRN Defence and Environmental Safety and Security. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1909-2_20.

Vaseashta, A., 2021. Introduction to Water Safety, Security, and Sustainability. In: Vaseashta, A., Maftei, C. (eds) Water Safety, Security and Sustainability. Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76008-3_1.

Vaseashta, A., 2022b. Future of Water: Challenges and Potential Solution Pathways Using a Nexus of Exponential Technologies and Transdisciplinarity. In A. Vaseashta, G. Duca, and S. Travin (Eds.). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7356-3.ch002.

WHO, 2009. WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon: A Public. Health Perspective (Geneva, Switzerland).

WHO, 2010. Preventing disease through healthy environments. Exposure to arsenic: a major public health concern. WHO, Geneva.

WHO, 2011. Uranium in drinking water. Background document for the development of the WHO Guidelines for drinking- water quality. WHO, Geneva.

Downloads

Published

2026-04-30

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026): IJESKA

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Muhibullah Rasouli, Hafizullah Rasouli, Ashok Vaseashta

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The authors keep the copyrights of the published materials with them, but the authors are aggee to give an exclusive license to the publisher that transfers all publishing and commercial exploitation rights to the publisher. The puslisher then shares the content published in this journal under CC BY-NC-ND license.