VietNamNet Bridge – Eight water towers of 30m high, built before 1975 by the US, have been abandoned in HCM City for many years. They are now a threat to the safety of neighboring people.

This water tower is located at the crossroad of Hoang Dieu - Nguyen Tat Thanh in District 4. The tower is now in very bad condition.

Living next to the water tower for more than 30 years, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hung said the giant tower has been abandoned since he moved here. 

There are seven other giant water towers in HCM City.

They were designed and built by the Americans from 1965 to 1969 to support water supply for the suburban districts of Go Vap, 11, 6 ....

They were built to pressurize water sources. 

However, they were not used because of water leakages. This has not been fixed, so the water towers were abandoned.

The Saigon Water Supply Corporation (Sawaco) is in charge of managing these 8 giant water towers. This firm has not used the towers.

In 2009, HCM City authorities asked Sawaco to check these towers and to dismantle them if the firm does not use them.

A specialist in the field of construction said that the cost to break the towers is higher than the construction costs, while the use of these towers is very risky.

Apart from the eight giant water towers, HCM City has more than 100 other smaller water towers, which were built by the Americans and French, and many of them are becoming threats for local residents.

This 20m water tower was built during the French colonial period in District 12. It is in very poor condition.

Local people said they were afraid that the tower could collapse at any time.

600 Sân thượng tầng 2 của nhà ông Rớt được xây dựng cách trụ tháp khoảng gần 10 m nhưng nhìn lên phần bể nước có thể thấy khối bê tông này khá đồ sộ. "Nó có khả năng đe doạ ngôi nhà và những người đang sinh sống nơi đây nếu xảy ra sự cố", ông Rớt nói.

Photo: Zing/VNE

Le Ha