Located within the headquarters of the Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO) near Turtle Lake, the tower was built in 1886 by the French as part of the city's earliest water infrastructure network.
Recognised as a municipal architectural and cultural heritage site in 2014, the structure stands about 25 metres tall and is distinguished by its oval shape and two large water tanks mounted on the roof.
Its yellow-painted exterior is supported by walls measuring between 1.6 and 2 metres thick. Decorative doors, windows and around 20 ventilation openings remain among the tower's most distinctive architectural features.
During its operational years, groundwater from nearby wells was collected, treated and pumped into the rooftop reservoirs to create water pressure for the city's distribution system.
The tower temporarily ceased operations in the 1930s before later serving as a backup water supply facility. It was permanently decommissioned in 1965.
Despite the passage of time, the structure, comprising a ground floor and two upper levels, has retained its original design.
Since 2018, the ground floor has housed a museum displaying more than 200 artefacts, photographs and historical documents tracing the development of HCM City's water sector.
Much of the original infrastructure from Saigon's first water supply network, including pipelines, valves and pumps, remains intact inside the tower nearly 140 years later.
The exhibition also features machinery, records, photographs and official seals from different periods of the city's water industry, including water meters used between 1958 and 1975.
SAWACO said ongoing conservation work is complemented by efforts to digitise archives, collect historical artefacts and enhance exhibitions on the city's water supply history.
In the longer term, SAWACO plans to develop the site into a heritage attraction and educational destination highlighting the history of HCM City's water industry.
SAWACO said preserving the tower helps promote water conservation and public understanding of the city's 150-year water supply history. Amid the modern skyline of HCM City, the historic water tower remains a rare reminder of the city's early urban infrastructure and architectural heritage.
