Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 26 of 2013 on the UAE system for the control of drinking water.

This Regulation consisting of 12 articles aims at tackling potable bottled water and all materials that come in contact with drinking water. It also covers labeling and packaging of bottles as well as distribution.
General conditions to be met in drinking water are (i) Safety conditions; (ii) Conditions for the collection, processing, packaging, storage, transport and distribution of drinking water; (iii) Conditions for standards. Specific conditions regard (i) non-bottled water, including quality, provided for in article 3; (ii) bottled water. Another important aspect is labeling that has to include conditions stipulated in Emirates mandatory standards for food, as well as for bottled water and for bottled natural mineral water. Labeling concerns also terms of validity, storage conditions, conditions for packing materials and materials that come into contact with drinking water to make sure these materials don’t contaminate drinking water. The material used for packaging and storing need to be of food contact grade. Article 4 deals also with controls on imported bottled water and markets control to conduct the necessary tests on the safety of bottled drinking water and its conformity with the admitted conditions. Article 6 states that the supplier shall ensure the conditions to be met in the pipes, valves and spare parts used for drinking water, as well as in tanks, transport vehicles and distribution.