Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO residents have resorted to water harvesting to beat the biting water crisis that has seen some suburbs going for more than eight months without running water.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is only delivering water for less than 12 hours per week to those suburbs still getting the water while other suburbs are depending on alternative water sources such as boreholes.
The water crisis has seen residents spending long hours queuing for the precious liquid at boreholes.
The health of residents in the affected suburbs is now under threat as people have now resorted to relieving themselves in the bush due to lack of water to flush toilets.
It is against this background that residents in the affected suburbs are now harvesting rain water to augment supplies from boreholes and other sources.
Residents who spoke to Chronicle said the rains have brought some relief and they hope the city’s supply dams will fill up this rain season.
The residents said while the city council is working on resuming supplies to their areas, they were taking advantage of the rains to harvest water for general use such as laundry and flushing toilets.
Ms Tracy Mpofu from New Lobengula suburb said she was no longer spending long hours queuing for water at the borehole which is far from her home.
“The rains are a big relief because now I can harvest enough water for general use. Whenever it rains, I make sure my containers are out to harvest the water. This has improved our general hygiene because we now have water to wash, bath and also flush toilets.
“The situation is no longer as desperate as it was before the onset of the rains,” said Ms Mpofu.
She however, said they still need municipal water for drinking as that being harvested is not safe for drinking.
Another resident Mr Obrey West from Emakhandeni suburb said with the council only supplying water once a week for a few hours, they are now keeping the municipal water for drinking purposes while the harvested water is for other uses.
“Council is no longer reliable in its delivery of water to our homes. Even when the water comes sometimes it will be having very low pressure such that we cannot fill up all our containers. Lack of water has in the past exposed us to unhygienic practices but the situation has improved since the onset of the rains. We re now harvesting water to augment council supplies,” said Mr West.
He however, said the major challenge was theft of buckets at night as they harvested the water.
Bulawayo Mayor councillor Solomon Mguni encouraged residents to continue harvesting water for other uses saying that will result in reduced daily water consumption.
“Residents can use harvested water mainly for secondary use which include bathing, washing among other functions except for drinking. They can then use council water for drinking. This could reduce the daily water consumption as we are failing to meet demand at the moment.
“The residents should also ensure that their containers are clean to prevent water-borne diseases,” said Cllr Mguni.
Mpilo Central Hospital acting clinical director Dr Xolani Ndlovu said harvested water was safe for drinking.
“Water harvesting is encouraged especially in Bulawayo where the council is implementing a water rationing schedule.
“But while doing so, residents should pay attention to hygienic practices so that they do not trigger diarrhoeal diseases. Rain water is safe for drinking, even that which is harvested from asbestos roofing as asbestos does not dissolve in water. What is important is for residents to make sure that their containers and the roofs are clean,” said Dr Ndlovu. – @nqotshili
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