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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
BULAWAYO residents have been urged to harvest rain water to complement tap water as the city battles its worst water crisis in five years.

Yesterday, the city received its first rains in some of the western suburbs.

The rains came at a time when the municipality has effected a 48-hour weekly water shedding programme.

The city’s six supply dams, Insiza, Mtshabezi, Inyankuni, Umzingwane, lower and Upper Ncema are at about 30 percent of their collective capacity.

Already, Upper Ncema and Umzingwane have been decommissioned and more dams may follow if there is no substantial rain in the catchment areas in Matabeleland South.

Bulawayo City Council Senior Public Relations Officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu urged residents not to let rain water go to waste.

She said harvesting water will ease the pressure of providing water during this period.

“We encourage residents to harvest water by using containers like buckets and dishes to capture rainwater from roofs. They can use that water for activities such as bathing, cleaning and washing,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said the city is in a crisis that needs co-operation from everyone.

“It’s about conservation. It’s not just about cutting supplies. Conservation is all about ensuring that water supplies stretch for as long as possible,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said the city’s residents should adopt new measures of saving water and water harvesting is one of them.

Last week, the Meteorological Service Department said the November rains would mark the beginning of the 2016/17 rainy season. — @nqotshili