The smell-proof openings will be fixed on Le Van Tho Street in Go Vap District, Truong Dinh Street in District 3, and Vinh Khanh Street in District 4.

The new design is being piloted by Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company (UDC).

Le Van Tho Street is the first to undergo the major makeover, with 113 sewer openings being replaced with new ones.

The redesigned openings consist of an iron grille on the surface to prevent garbage from entering the drainage system, connected to a tilted trough to lead water into a valve, according to Bui Van Truong, head of UDC’s storm relief management.

When it rains, water accumulated on top of the pressure-controlled valve will force it to swing open, allowing water to be drained into a system of underground pipes.

During dry days, the valve remains closed, which helps prevent foul smell from escaping the sewage system.

Water is poured into a newly installed sewer opening to test the pressure-controlled valves. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Current openings installed across the city are shaped like a siphoning toilet bowl, in which an S-shaped waterway allows a certain amount of water to always remain near the opening to trap foul smell inside.

However, the design is flawed in that stagnant water that stays for long periods during the dry season can become the source of foul smell itself, as well as a breeding ground for disease-bearing mosquitoes, Truong said.

Each of the new openings costs around VND17 million (US$750) to manufacture and install, according to the UDC official.

An iron grille covers the surface of the new sewer opening (L) to prevent garbage from entering the drainage system, compared to the old opening design (R). Photo: Tuoi Tre

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