In the UAE, drinking water is controlled by Cabinet Resolution No. 26 of 2013, which makes UAE.S GSO 149 mandatory for network and other unbottled water, UAE.S GSO 1025 for bottled water and UAE.S GSO 987 for natural mineral water. The same resolution sets specifications for water tanks and tankers, and in Dubai the Food Code 2013 requires food premises to have their water tanks cleaned and disinfected at least twice a year.
This guide is for food business operators, facility managers, water tanker operators and bottling plants in the UAE and the wider GCC.
Which law controls drinking water in the UAE?
Cabinet Resolution No. (26) of 2013 Regarding the UAE Drinking Water Control System is the federal framework. It was issued on 12 August 2013 and took effect on 29 March 2014, according to the UAE legislation platform, which lists it as active.
The resolution was issued under the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). ESMA has since been merged into the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), which now holds its duties. Federal and local competent authorities enforce the system and may take samples across the supply chain.
Three general duties apply to every water supplier. Water must meet the mandatory specification for its type. The supplier must run a recognised food safety management system and follow good hygienic practice under UAE.S GSO 1694. All tests must be done in laboratories approved by the authority.
Which standard applies to each type of water?
Each kind of water has its own specification, and the conformity route differs. The table summarises Articles 3, 4 and 7 of the resolution. Gulf editions are taken from the GSO standards store.
| Item | Specification named in the resolution | Gulf edition in force | Control set by the resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network, well, spring and other unbottled water | UAE.S GSO 149 | GSO 149:2021, Edition 4 | Competent authorities may sample at every supply point. Sold through verified meters or tankers |
| Bottled drinking water | UAE.S GSO 1025 | GSO 1025:2014, Edition 3 | Full quality assurance (ECAS Module H) and the Emirates Quality Mark or a recognised mark |
| Bottled natural mineral water | UAE.S GSO 987 | GSO 987:2021, Edition 4 | Quality and label rules under Article 4. Only treatments the specification permits |
| Drinking water tanks | UAE.S GSO 588 (galvanised steel), UAE.S GSO 459 (glass-reinforced polyester) | Confirm with MoIAT | Product verification (ECAS Module B) |
| Tankers for unbottled water | UAE.S GSO 2025 | Confirm with MoIAT | ECAS Module B, licence from the competent authority, capacity in whole cubic metres, verified before first use |
Bottled water also has to meet the hygiene code UAE.S GSO 1928, the labelling rules in UAE.S GSO 9 and the packaging rules in UAE.S GSO 839 and 1863. Our guide to bottled water plant hygiene covers the factory side.
What do the rules say about water tanks and tankers?
Water can leave a treatment plant safe and become unsafe in a building tank or a dirty tanker. That is why both the federal resolution and Dubai's Food Code deal with storage and transport.
Under Article 7 of the resolution, tanks must be built to the right material specification and go through product verification. Tankers that carry unbottled water must meet UAE.S GSO 2025 and hold a licence from the competent authority. Vehicles that carry bottled water must be used for food only.
Section 2.13 of the Dubai Municipality Food Code adds the operating rules for food premises in Dubai:
- Water comes from a source approved by Dubai Municipality or the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.
- Tanks and overflow tanks have covers that keep out animals, birds and other matter.
- Tanks are kept clean at all times and cleaned and disinfected at least twice a year, more often if needed.
- Only a cleaning company approved by the Food Control Department may clean the tanks.
- Where premises share a tank, such as in a mall, each one must be able to show documented evidence of cleaning.
- Drinking water coolers and dispensers are cleaned and disinfected regularly.
Other emirates set their own rules through their local authorities. Check the current requirement with the authority that licenses your premises before you set a cleaning frequency.
What should a food business be able to show an inspector about its water?
The Food Code's Annex A lists the documents a Dubai food establishment keeps, and a copy of the water tank cleaning contract is one of them. In practice an inspector will also look for evidence that each cleaning actually happened.
A short water file usually covers:
- The approved water source and, for tanker supply, the tanker's licence.
- The cleaning contract with an approved company and a report or certificate for each cleaning and disinfection.
- A schedule showing at least two cleanings a year, and the trigger for extra cleaning, such as a failed test or tank repair.
- Water test results from an approved laboratory where your programme or authority requires them.
- Cleaning records for coolers, dispensers and ice machines, since ice that touches food must be made from drinking water.
- A drawing or label scheme showing non-potable lines kept separate from drinking water.
In a HACCP plan, water is a prerequisite programme with its own hazards. Our HACCP guide for labour camps shows how the same Food Code rules fit into a catering hazard analysis.
How is treated wastewater kept apart from drinking water?
Where a site also receives treated wastewater for irrigation, drinking water and recycled water run side by side, and a single wrong connection can reach a tap. The Dubai Food Code requires a separate, clearly identified supply for non-potable uses such as fire control, and bars any connection between non-potable lines and the drinking water system.
In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Energy regulates water supply and the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater, including recycling of treatment by-products, under Law No. 11 of 2018. It launched a Recycled Water Policy in June 2019, as reported in the UAE press at the time.
In AGS's reading, the controls that matter are the same for any reuse scheme. Mark recycled water pipes, fittings and tankers so they cannot be confused with drinking water. Fit backflow protection where systems meet. Restrict how and where treated effluent is applied, and monitor its quality against the limits in your permit.
WHO's guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, excreta and greywater set out the health-based approach behind these controls.
Where do the WHO guidelines and GSO standards fit?
The WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality are the international reference behind most national limits. On 17 June 2026 WHO published the fourth edition incorporating the first, second and third addenda, listed on its drinking-water quality guidelines page. WHO's preventive approach is the water safety plan, which manages risks from the catchment to the consumer.
GSO 149, 1025 and 987 are Gulf Technical Regulations approved by the GCC Standardization Organization. The UAE made them mandatory through Resolution 26. In other GCC states, confirm the national adoption and edition with your regulator. Water efficiency is a separate topic, covered by ISO 46001 in our water efficiency guide.
How AGS can help
AGS has two water guideline products, both editable Microsoft Word files:
- International Technical Guidelines Pack - Water Quality & Safety: 5 guideline documents for general water, unbottled drinking water, bottled drinking water, natural mineral water and drinking water tankers, each with an audit checklist annex.
- Hygiene & Sanitation Guidelines - Water: a single guideline document covering potable water, tank and mains disinfection, water transport, wastewater, irrigation water and sludge reuse.
Frequently asked questions
How often must water tanks be cleaned in Dubai?
The Dubai Municipality Food Code requires food premises to clean and disinfect tanks at least twice a year, and more often if necessary. The work must be done by a company approved by the Food Control Department.
Is natural mineral water the same as bottled drinking water?
No. Natural mineral water comes from a protected natural source, has a stable mineral composition and may receive only the treatments UAE.S GSO 987 permits. Other bottled water falls under UAE.S GSO 1025.
Can treated wastewater be used for food preparation or cleaning?
No. The Dubai Food Code requires drinking water for cleaning and food preparation in food premises. Non-potable water is limited to uses such as fire control and must run in a separate system.
Who approves drinking water tankers?
The competent authority licenses tankers that carry unbottled drinking water. The tanker must also meet UAE.S GSO 2025 and pass verification of its capacity before first use.
AGS provides independent documentation toolkits. MoIAT, ESMA, GSO, Dubai Municipality, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy and WHO are named for identification only. AGS is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by any of them, and no document guarantees an inspection outcome.
Reviewed October 2026. Facts checked against the sources current at publication.
