DESPERATE Bulawayo residents have resorted to harvesting rain water as the city’s supply dams are yet to receive significant inflows from the current intermittent downpours. BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) chairperson Ambrose Sibindi said the rains had come as relief to the residents who were finding it difficult to source water due to the water crisis being experienced in the second city. “Most residents were fighting for water at boreholes and council bowsers and also other unsafe sources that they had to dig for themselves,” Sibindi said. “For the past three days, we have been receiving good rains. There are no longer queues at boreholes.” He added: “People are harvesting rain water and utilise it for different purposes. Some are even boiling it for drinking and if rains continue, this will be a huge relief to the residents.” Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairman Winos Dube weighed in: “I pray this again could mark a good turn to learning how to harvest and reserve water. Hard times sometimes bring best lessons, which I hope Bulawayo residents have learnt from.” Human rights activist Effie Ncube said it was not surprising that residents were surviving on rain water as it was the only readily available source in the city. “The city council has failed to provide clean and reliable water because of a number of factors, including that the dams are empty. It is a pity because the shortage of water has increased water-borne diseases in Bulawayo,” Ncube said.