給水塔(きゅうすいとう)

Composed of 給水(きゅうすい) (water supply) and 塔(とう) (tower). A tall structure housing an elevated water tank; common in municipal water systems, on factory and apartment-complex roofs, and atop hills.

In Japan, many older 団地(だんち) (public housing complexes) are immediately recognizable by their concrete water towers, which have become a nostalgic architectural motif.

Common collocations

• 給水塔(きゅうすいとう)が建(た)つ: a water tower stands / is built
• 給水塔(きゅうすいとう)に水(みず)を貯(た)める: to store water in a water tower
• 団地(だんち)の給水塔(きゅうすいとう): the water tower of a housing complex
• 給水塔(きゅうすいとう)を解体(かいたい)する: to dismantle a water tower

Similar words

• 給水(きゅうすい)タンク: water tank — a general term; may or may not be elevated
• 貯水(ちょすい)タンク: water storage tank — emphasizes storage function rather than supply
• 貯水池(ちょすいち): reservoir — a large pool for water storage, typically at ground level
• 配水(はいすい)池(ち): distribution reservoir — part of municipal water systems; distributes to individual households