The Rochefort water tower is a historic monument, commissioned in 1876. An isolated town surrounded by marshes, Rochefort has always suffered from a water shortage. Two 2,000 cubic meter tanks rest on neoclassical barrel vaults. The main façade overlooks Rue Galliéni. The rear façade was occupied by the old ramparts, now demolished.
This water tower operated until the 1950s. Rochefort's old water tower is built at the highest point in the town (altitude 15 meters), on the site of an earlier water tower dating from the early 18th century. The rear façade leaned against the ramparts, now demolished. It operated from 1876 to 1956. It was built to the designs of the architect Burgeat, the town's engineer. According to Abbot Brodut, in 1875, Burgeat had a masonry trench dug that collected 3,000 cubic meters of water per day from the Châteauroux basin (municipality of Tonnay-Charente).
In La Chalonnière (municipality of Tonnay-Charente), the various manholes, including one called "staircase" (a staircase), that marked this buried aqueduct can be seen. A project to convert it into an art gallery is currently underway. Place d'Eyup separates it from the old hospital.