25 October 2026
Dubai Municipality has awarded contracts worth AED 3 billion for four projects under Phase 3 of the Tasreef stormwater drainage programme, the Dubai Government Media Office announced on Sunday, 25 October 2026. The projects will build and extend about 100 kilometres of main stormwater drainage lines with diameters of up to 3 metres across nearly 100 square kilometres of the city. They cover 11 areas: Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, Al Safa, Al Manara, Al Quoz, Al Barsha, Al Wasl, Za’abeel, Al Bada’a, Al Satwa and Al Marmoom. Tasreef is a AED 30 billion programme approved in June 2024; Phase 1 contracts were awarded in April 2025 and Phase 2 contracts on 26 February 2026.
What was awarded on 25 October
The four Phase 3 projects connect the listed areas to Dubai Municipality’s main stormwater drainage network. According to the announcement, the areas represent key economic, commercial, industrial and tourism corridors of the emirate. The works are meant to increase the water-flow capacity of the network and its operational resilience.
The announcement does not name the contractors and does not give start or completion dates for Phase 3. Dubai Municipality said it implements Tasreef projects in accordance with approved timelines and operational plans.
The four Phase 3 projects
| Project | Areas served | Main lines |
|---|---|---|
| Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim network | Umm Suqeim 1, 2 and 3, Umm Al Sheif, Jumeirah 3, Al Safa 1 and 2, Al Manara along the Dubai Water Canal | about 42 km |
| Between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road | Al Quoz Industrial Areas 1, 3 and 4, Al Barsha 1 | 14 km |
| Al Wasl Road main lines | Za’abeel 2, Al Wasl, Jumeirah 1 and 2, Al Bada’a, Al Satwa, Dubai World Trade Centre 1 and 2 | 21 km |
| Al Marmoom drainage system | Al Marmoom | 23 km |
Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim
This is one of the largest projects in Phase 3. It covers communities from Umm Suqeim 1, 2 and 3 and Umm Al Sheif to Jumeirah 3, Al Safa 1 and 2 and Al Manara along the Dubai Water Canal, with about 42 kilometres of main stormwater drainage lines.
Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Khail Road
The second project adds 14 kilometres of main lines between two of Dubai’s main highways. It serves the Al Khail Road interchange towards Umm Suqeim, Umm Suqeim Road, Sheikh Zayed Road, First Al Khail Street, Al Marabea Street, Al Waha Street, Al Zumurrud Street and connecting secondary roads. The project area includes Al Quoz Industrial Areas 1, 3 and 4 and Al Barsha 1.
Al Wasl Road and areas east of the canal
The third project serves areas east of the Dubai Water Canal: Za’abeel 2, Al Wasl, Jumeirah 1 and 2, Al Bada’a, Al Satwa and Dubai World Trade Centre 1 and 2, an area of up to 25 square kilometres. It includes main and secondary conveyance lines with a total length of 21 kilometres.
Al Marmoom
The fourth project builds an integrated stormwater drainage network in Al Marmoom with 23 kilometres of drainage infrastructure.
Tasreef in brief
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved Tasreef on 24 June 2024. The official parameters of the programme are:
- total cost of AED 30 billion, implemented by Dubai Municipality;
- an increase in the drainage capacity of the emirate’s network by 700%, to more than 20 million cubic metres of water per day;
- coverage of all areas of Dubai, with completion in phases by 2033 and a design horizon of 100 years;
- a 20% reduction in the cost of building, operating and maintaining stormwater pumping stations.
The programme is described as the largest stormwater collection project in a single system in the region. It is aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy.
Three phases of contracts so far
| Phase | Date awarded | Value | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 13 April 2025 | AED 1.439 billion | 4 projects, more than 36 km of new lines |
| Phase 2 | 26 February 2026 | AED 2.5 billion | 5 contracts: 3 for works, 2 for study and design |
| Phase 3 | 25 October 2026 | AED 3 billion | 4 projects, about 100 km of main lines |
Phase 1 covered Nad Al Hamar, the vicinity of Dubai International Airport, Al Garhoud, Al Rashidiya, Al Quoz, Za’abeel, Al Wasl, Jumeirah and Al Bada’a, with completion expected by 2027. Phase 2 contracts went to companies including DeTech Contracting and China State Construction Engineering Corporation. They include a main tunnel of up to 4 metres in diameter along Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Al Yalayis Road, a network of more than 27 kilometres between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Jamayel Road, and a pumping station with a stormwater collection lake along Dubai to Al Ain Road. Together the three phases account for about AED 6.9 billion of the AED 30 billion programme.
What it means for companies in the project areas
Phase 3 runs through districts where many businesses operate: warehouses and workshops in Al Quoz Industrial Areas 1, 3 and 4, offices in Al Barsha 1 and Dubai World Trade Centre, and retail and hospitality along Jumeirah, Al Wasl and Umm Suqeim. Adel Mohammed Al Marzouqi, CEO of the Waste and Sewerage Agency at Dubai Municipality, said the projects aim to reduce water accumulation, protect residents and assets and improve traffic flow during rain.
For a company already based in these areas or choosing premises there, the practical points are:
- no construction schedule has been published yet, so road works and diversions in a given street are not known today;
- when you sign a lease for a warehouse or showroom, check how the specific unit and its access roads performed in past heavy rain;
- review whether your property and stock insurance covers flood damage and business interruption;
- contracting and engineering firms that want to work on Dubai public infrastructure need a Dubai mainland licence for the relevant activity.
The size of Dubai’s wider project pipeline is covered in our article on AED 2.1 trillion in projects under way in Dubai.
How Atlant Capital can help
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Conclusion
Dubai Municipality has awarded AED 3 billion in contracts for four Phase 3 Tasreef projects: about 100 kilometres of main stormwater lines up to 3 metres in diameter across 11 areas, from Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim to Al Quoz, Al Barsha and Al Marmoom. With Phase 1 in April 2025 and Phase 2 in February 2026, about AED 6.9 billion of the AED 30 billion programme has now been contracted, with completion of the whole network planned in phases by 2033.
Source: Gulf News, Dubai Media Office.
FAQ
What is the Tasreef programme in Dubai?
Tasreef is Dubai Municipality’s AED 30 billion programme to expand the emirate’s stormwater drainage network. Approved in June 2024, it aims to raise drainage capacity by 700%, to more than 20 million cubic metres per day, and to cover all areas of Dubai in phases by 2033.
Which areas are covered by Tasreef Phase 3?
Phase 3 covers 11 areas: Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, Al Safa, Al Manara, Al Quoz, Al Barsha, Al Wasl, Za’abeel, Al Bada’a, Al Satwa and Al Marmoom. The four projects span nearly 100 square kilometres and include Al Quoz Industrial Areas 1, 3 and 4 and Dubai World Trade Centre 1 and 2.
How much are the Tasreef Phase 3 contracts worth?
The four Phase 3 contracts are worth AED 3 billion in total and cover about 100 kilometres of main stormwater lines with diameters of up to 3 metres. Phase 1 was worth AED 1.439 billion and Phase 2 AED 2.5 billion, bringing the total contracted so far to about AED 6.9 billion.
When will the Tasreef drainage works be completed?
The whole Tasreef programme is planned for completion in phases by 2033. Phase 1 projects are expected to be completed by 2027. The Phase 3 announcement of 25 October 2026 does not give start or completion dates for the four new projects.
