Dubai: Water tanks in Dubai homes will come under the scanner with the municipality announcing plans to expand its inspections to residential buildings from 2017.
The municipality’s Food Safety Department is studying the option of providing water tank inspection services in residential buildings and complexes to check their safety in terms of cleanliness and sterilisation. This will be done by taking water samples from the tanks for testing to make sure they are free of any impurities that may affect human health, the civic body said on Thursday.
The department will develop a mechanism to inspect the water tanks in cooperation with other relevant departments and the approved companies responsible for the cleaning and disinfection work of those tanks, it said.
The Food Safety Department currently inspects water tanks in schools, colleges, universities, mosques, shopping centres, government buildings, parks and malls. The municipality said it will start the inspection of the water tanks in other buildings in the emirate from next year.
Eman Bastaki, director of the department, said that the service will focus on the cleanliness of water tanks and raise health awareness among consumers of the importance of maintaining the safety of water by cleaning the tank periodically and approaching only the municipality-approved cleaning companies that apply the required hygiene conditions.
“The inspection process will include taking samples to the competent municipality authorities for testing as the department has developed a comprehensive guide to clean the tanks as a first step and has listed it among the most important strategic priorities as stated in the Local Order 11 of 2003, which has been applied to all food establishments and factories in the emirate,” said Bastaki.
She stressed the need to clean tanks at public and private facilities by conducting periodic checks to be sure of their structural and health safety. Building managements must meet the requirements for keeping the water tanks clean and hygienic.
Separate guidelines are issued for cleaning school water tanks, especially during summer holidays.
The official said there are strict controls to regulate bottled water companies where regular inspections are made to ensure they adhere to the guidelines.
