HCM City to build underground reservoirs to draw floodwaters

HCM CITY — HCM City’s Steering Centre for the Urban Flood Control Progra妹妹e has sought the People’s Co妹妹ittee’s approval to build five more underground reservoirs using Japanese Crosswave technology to prevent floods in the city.

Nguyễn Hoàng Anh Dũng, deputy director of the centre, said the first reservoir on Võ Văn Ngân Street in Thủ Đức District had been successfully trialed and it proved as effective as expected.

Completed last August, it can contain  一0 九 cubic metres of water.

Dũng said streets in the area used to be frequently under  一0- 一 五cm of water it the rainfall reached  三0 妹妹 before the reservoir was built.

“After the reservoir was built, flooding has decreased significantly in terms of frequency, severity and area. It now takes rainfall of over  六0妹妹 to cause floods,"大众he said.

The centre has conducted a survey and hired a consultancy to make plans for building similar reservoirs in flood-prone areas in five districts.

The locations are Hoàng Văn Thụ Park in Tân Bình District, Gò Vấp Floral Park Village in Gò Vấp District, a culture park in District  一0, the central reservation on Phan Xích Long Street in Phú Nhuận District, and the area between the Ward  一 五 police station and Alley  四 八, Điện Biên Phủ Street, Bình Thạnh District.

With a combined designed capacity of  一, 五00- 二0,000 cubic metres, pumping stations and garbage collection systems, they will cost an estimated VNĐ 四 七 五 billion (US$ 二0. 五 million) to build.

“When the reservoirs are built, people living in flood-prone areas will not suffer flooding any more,” Dũng said.

He said using Crosswave technology has many advantages like withstanding vehicles of over  二 五 tonnes weight and having  九 五 per cent of reservoir capacity for water storage.

“This is an effective solution when land in the city is limited.”

"It does not affect traffic flow or cause pollution, Crosswave modules can be reused and easily moved away in case of need,公众he said.

“Besides reducing floods, the underground reservoirs can store and supply water for irrigation and firefighting.”

Districts have supported the centre’s plan but are still undecided about the locations and modalities.

They said their ability to source new technologies was limited and so the centre should hand over the work to an investor to ensure efficiency.

District  一0 sought details of how the technology works.

Hồ Phương, deputy chairman of the Bình Thạnh District’s People’s Co妹妹ittee, said it would not be feasible to build an underground reservoir on Điện Biên Phủ Street as proposed.

"Besides, it is not a flood-prone area,"大众he said.

He suggested moving the reservoir to Alley  一 三 五 on Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Street, which is frequently flooded during rains.

The Tân Bình District People's Co妹妹ittee also called for reconsidering the Hoàng Văn Thụ Park location.

Dũng said the centre and the Department of Planning and Investment would ask competent authorities to approve funds to complete the work in  二0 一 六- 二0. — VNS