Sanitation in Dubai

[7] In 2011, the Jebel Ali Sewage Treatment Plant was selected as the Water Reuse Project of the Year as part of the annual MEED Quality Awards.

[8] During Dubai's economic boom in the 2000s, the city's growth meant that it was stretching its existing sewage treatment infrastructure to its limits.

Because of the long queues and delays, several tanker drivers resorted to illegally dumping the raw sewage into storm drains or behind dunes in the desert, resulting in much controversy.

Sewage dumped into storm drains flowed directly into the Persian Gulf, near the city's prime swimming beaches.

[12] Dubai's municipality says that it is committed to trying to catch the culprits and has imposed fines of up to $25,000 as well as threatening to confiscate tankers if dumping persists.