Saigoneers are no strangers to flooding: the city is developing faster than its infrastructure can handle, so most efforts to combat this age-old issue have had limited effectiveness. Will a retention basin change this?
According to Tuoi Tre, in order to tackle Saigon’s flooding issues, city authorities recently greenlit a project to construct a retention basin in Cu Chi District, which frequently gets inundated by almost any level of rain. Work on the facility will begin in 2019 and finish in 2025 if things go according to plan.
The project will be executed by the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Center for the Urban Flood Control Program, which plans to build the pond in the vicinity of the Ben Muong and Lang The canals in the suburban district.
The Cu Chi-based basin will be the first in the city and will help tackle severe flooding spots that have been causing serious damage to infrastructure and crops in the district.
From 2017 to 2018, the center aims to improve the condition of canals in the city to boost water flow through upgrades, expansions and dredging. Moreover, clearing water pollution and maintaining hygiene in the district is also a priority in this period.
The causes for the district’s flooding include sedimentation in local waterways, rapid unplanned expansion of industrial and residential areas and lack of proper drainage systems.
[Photo via Facebook user Ngo Nhat Hoang]
