Dubai awards $817 million for 100 km of new stormwater drains after 2024 floods
Dubai Municipality has handed out four contracts totaling AED3 billion ($817 million) in the third phase of Tasreef, its stormwater program, to build or extend about 100 km of trunk drainage lines up to 3 meters in diameter across 11 districts.
The contractors are ARIFCO Group, DETech Contracting, Nael Construction & Contracting and China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East, Construction Business News Middle East reported. The municipality has not matched firms to packages or disclosed individual contract values. The four projects cover close to 100 square kilometers and tie each district into the city's main stormwater network, according to the Dubai Media Office.
The largest package is about 42 km of main lines in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim, along the Dubai Water Canal. Al Marmoom gets a 23 km network. Along Al Wasl Road, 21 km of main and secondary lines will serve up to 25 square kilometers east of the canal, including Za'abeel, Al Satwa and Al Bada'a. The fourth package, 14 km between Al Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road, serves industrial zones 1, 3 and 4 of Al Quoz, plus Al Barsha 1.
Tasreef dates to 2024. Heavy rain that April left parts of the emirate under water, and the program followed. Its total budget is AED30 billion. The targets are a 700% increase in drainage capacity by 2033, to more than 20 million cubic meters a day, and 20% lower costs to build and operate pumping stations, according to the municipality and CBNME.
Earlier rounds handed out AED1.4 billion in April 2025, then AED2.5 billion in February 2026. Counting phase 3, about AED6.9 billion of the AED30 billion has now been awarded, roughly 23%. Neither the municipality nor CBNME gave start or completion dates for the phase 3 work.
Why it matters: Dubai is rebuilding its drainage after one storm, in district packages of 14 to 42 km of trunk lines up to 3 meters across. Firms chasing US stormwater and tunnel work can track how the city splits a AED30 billion program into biddable contracts.
Sources
- Dubai Municipality awards AED3 billion worth of contracts for four projects under Phase 3 of 'Tasreef' ProgrammeDubai Media Office, Oct 25
- Dubai Municipality Awards AED3 Billion Stormwater Contracts Under Tasreef Phase 3Construction Business News Middle East, Oct 26