VietNamNet Bridge – Building reservoirs and embankments is one of the measures for HCMC to control floods and adapt to climate change, experts said.

Flooding hits an area in HCMC in this file photo. The city plans to build many reservoirs to control floods in the coming time

Ha Minh Chau from the HCMC Climate Change Bureau, said the city government would build Khanh Hoi reservoir in District 4 this year to regulate flooding in the city, especially when there is heavy rain.

The city will start work on the reservoir later this year, which covers an area of 4.8 hectares and costs a total of VND304 billion (US$14.2 million).    

In addition, Thu Thiem reservoir in District 2, Go Dua reservoir in Thu Duc District and Bau Cat reservoir in Tan Phu District will be built at the end of this year.

Chau told the Daily on the sidelines of the seminar that these reservoirs would be built underground so that parks and playgrounds can be built above them.

“Land in HCMC is limited, so the construction of underground reservoirs would be feasible if the city combines them with public works such as parks and playgrounds for citizens,” Chau said.

The city government has selected locations at some apartment and office buildings to build rainwater tanks to ease pressure on the city’s drainage system. Rainwater can be used to water trees at these places.

The city will upgrade and widen existing lakes and transform them into reservoirs. These lakes are located in districts 2, 7, 12, Thu Duc, Binh Tan, Binh Chanh and Go Vap.

According to experts, these reservoirs can hold millions of cubic meters of rainwater and thus help reduce flooding in HCMC by 30%.

SGT