Free Drinking Water in Dubai: How the Dubai Can Refill Stations Work

Dubai had 53 free public drinking-water refill stations by February 2025 under the Dubai Can programme, according to Dubai Media Office. In their first three years they dispensed more than 15 million litres of water and replaced more than 30 million 500ml single-use plastic bottles.

What Dubai Can is

Dubai Can was launched on 15 February 2022 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, to cut the use of single-use plastic water bottles. It is led by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), with partners including Dubai Municipality, DMCC and talabat. Khaleej Times reported at launch that the average UAE resident used about 450 plastic water bottles a year.

The stations are permanent and work year-round, so they are useful in the hot months as well as during the outdoor season.

How the network has grown

At launch in February 2022, Khaleej Times reported that the programme started with more than 30 public water stations, with about 50 more planned. Organisers also set a target of 1,000 stations in offices, hotels, government entities and universities, and invited businesses to register to host one. Three years on, Dubai Media Office counted 53 public stations and said more would be added.

Where the stations are

Dubai Media Office says stations are placed at key points across the emirate, including Dubai Municipality facilities, parks and public beaches. Locations named in coverage include:

• Kite Beach;
• Zabeel Park;
• Dubai World Trade Centre;
• Madinat Jumeirah;
• Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), where DMCC says its stations have removed almost two million single-use bottles since 2022;
• Dubai Marina.

The first four were named when the programme launched in 2022; check the current map before relying on a particular station. The official station map is on the Dubai Can page of DET's website (dubaidet.gov.ae/en/dubai-can).

How the water is treated and tested

According to Dubai Media Office:

• water at the stations is regularly tested against Dubai Municipality, GCC and World Health Organization standards;
• stations comply with municipal, healthcare and federal regulations;
• water is kept chilled at 10°C.

Khaleej Times reported at launch that the stations use filters for added safety.

The numbers so far

Refills beyond the stations

Restaurants are another option. When Dubai Municipality updated the Dubai Food Code in November 2019, it advised restaurants to offer tap water from 2020 as part of the same effort to reduce plastic. Gulf News reported the guidance as advisory, not mandatory, so ask when you order.

Before you go

• Carry a refillable bottle.
• Check the DET map for the station nearest your park, beach or run route; our guide to running in Dubai covers several of the same parks.
• Businesses can register on the Dubai Can website to host a station.

For general information. Details can change; check the Dubai Can map on Dubai Economy and Tourism's website before relying on them.