With Dubai humidity climbing into May and June, Dubai Municipality continues to enforce the GD 70 cooling-tower hygiene framework that was strengthened in 2023. Building owners and facility teams should refresh inspection logs, water-test certificates, and chemical-dosing records before peak load.

What the regulation actually requires

The GD 70 standard mandates routine bacterial testing (including Legionella pneumophila), quarterly basin cleaning, and biocide treatment for every open-circuit cooling tower in Dubai. Property managers must retain testing certificates for at least two years and present them on inspection.

Authorities focus on three records: chemical dosing logs, microbiological test results from an accredited lab, and proof of physical basin/fill cleaning. Missing any one of these is the single most common citation.

Common gaps we see in Dubai high-rises

Towers built before 2010 often lack drift eliminators that meet the current 0.002% drift loss standard. Older basins retain biofilm even after chemical treatment because the surfaces are pitted. Many buildings also outsource testing without verifying the lab is DAC-accredited, which invalidates the certificate.

Pre-summer action list

Before late May, walk the cooling tower with three checks: confirm dosing pumps are calibrated, confirm the last microbiological test is under 90 days old, and verify the make-up water meter is reading. If any are missing, schedule remediation while ambient temperatures still allow the tower to be taken offline safely.

Quick compliance checklist

  • Quarterly Legionella test from a DAC-accredited lab
  • Chemical dosing log signed and dated by the FM contractor
  • Basin and fill cleaned within the last 6 months
  • Drift eliminators inspected and replaced where corroded
  • Make-up water meter functioning and logged monthly
  • Inspection records retained for 24 months minimum

Why this matters

Cooling-tower citations in Dubai now carry both financial penalties and reputational risk because audit reports increasingly feed into building-rating disclosures. A 60-minute pre-season walk-through prevents a 6-week remediation forced during peak occupancy.