A new study has found that many serious health problems among the people in Kabul are due to a dramatic increase in air pollution and to toxic substances in the groundwater in the capital.
 
The study says that in many areas in Kabul, underground water has been contaminated by the viruses which are very risky to human health including diarrhea, respiratory and some other dangerous diseases.
 
The research carried out by Fikr Organization of Psychosocial Development says that the water in first, second, seventh, 16th and 18th districts of Kabul is not fit for consumption. It advises that water in these districts must be boiled or processed before being used.
 
"We have witnessed pollution in one-third of groundwaters in parts of Kabul city, however, we did not find any kind of pollution in water in subdistrict 6 and 13," said researcher Abbas Payendanek.
 
Kart-e-Parwan area of Kabul is also one of the areas in capital Kabul where residents have raised concerns over the pollution of groundwater.
 
Groundwaters have been polluted badly, we call on the government to address the issue. We see women and children facing illness because of pollution," said a resident of Kabul, Nazir Ahmad
 
Doctors have said that the increasing level of pollution has been inflicting major harms on human health.
 
Meanwhile, officials of Kabul Water Supply Department have said that one of the reasons of pollution of groundwater is the recklessness of the people.
 
According to the study, one-third of the water in the fourth, fifth, 10th, 12th, 15th, 19th and 20th districts is contaminated with microbes and water has to be boiled before drinking.   
 
Meanwhile, the study indicates that low-quality and unprocessed material used to heat houses are the main reason for the heavy air pollution in the city.
 
Figures by Central Statistics Organization show that the population increase has also added to the problem.
 
Researchers say that the level of groundwater has dropped by 15 meters.
 
Unprofessional canalization of high-story builds has also added to the problem, said the researchers
 
A groundwater pollutant is any substance that, when it reaches an aquifer, makes the water unclean or otherwise unsuitable for a particular purpose. Sometimes the substance is a manufactured chemical, but just as often it might be microbial contamination.

Contamination also can occur from naturally occurring mineral and metallic deposits in rock and soil.