It is unlawful to refuse a person a glass of water.

Comment from Braja
Time March 28, 2011 at 9:31 pm

The emergency cup! I love this love. It gets to 115 degrees in the summer, and sometimes the temperature exceeds that! God bless emergency cups!

Comment from Braja
Time March 28, 2011 at 9:32 pm

The emergency cup! I love this. It gets to 115 degrees in the summer, and sometimes the temperature exceeds that! God bless emergency cups!

Comment from KazoWAR
Time April 2, 2011 at 12:25 am

Braja, What if you are standing next to some guy who makes you drink a glass of water every three seconds? you would eventually get bloated. Well, i guess he’ll get arrested once you explode.

Comment from P. C. in AZ
Time April 3, 2011 at 11:46 pm

This one is definitely true. I thought this was national but anyone who has worked in a restaurant or fast food in AZ knows that you cannot deny someone a glass of water if you serve drinks. This is only for establishments that serve drinks though, if your establishment is a clothing store you can refuse and of course any citizen can deny someone water. Although in the summer months you have to be a dick to not give someone a drink of water if they ask.

Comment from The C-man
Time July 26, 2011 at 6:45 pm

Can someone provide a link to the exact legislation? I want to be able to actually quote it and now that I am not just going to make a fool of myself.

Comment from Sam C.
Time August 4, 2011 at 11:07 pm

Completely non-factual; this law does not exist.

Comment from Joe
Time August 27, 2011 at 12:43 am

I tried to use this to my benefit all the time about 10 years ago when I used to hang out on Mill Ave. when I was a teenager and usually got refused at Circle K and Jack In the Box because I wouldn’t pay for the cup or “container”. This must only apply to restaurants or establishments with reusable glasses as opposed to disposable cups. Or they amended the law to include necessary payment for containers. Or they were simply breaking the law.

Comment from Katy
Time December 10, 2011 at 8:08 am

this is a true law. i live in Arizona and know this. i know many people who where arrested for refusing someone a drink of water…the fine is unknown. i know it sounds silly but in 115 degrees and you are dehydrated you won’t last long in the desert. so if you have no home and you are wandering in a town and you have no money, you need water or you will die. its not stupid and its not dumb. its for the saftey of people. if you think its stupid you come down to arizona go into the desert with no water and no other people miles away from civlization. no cell phones, no TV and no internet. i bet you all would be so scared and grossed out cuase ewwwwyy you saw a bug. OH NO! no one cares about a little bug in arizona.

Comment from Zen
Time May 19, 2012 at 1:02 pm

How is this supposed to be stupid? If anything it makes more sense than any law ever created.

Comment from Gabriella
Time June 1, 2012 at 9:24 pm

It is in fact NOT fake nor is it stupid. Also, you must give someone ice if they ask for it, but only if you have an ice making machine. I’ve lived in AZ. my whole life and worked in a convenience store where it was a part of training to learn this law. It does get quite hot and summer starts early.

Comment from laurie bates
Time June 7, 2012 at 9:44 am

I live in arizona and would never refuse a reqquest for water. You could cause a death if you do. It gets extremely hot here. People, animals and birds all need water to survive. IT IS NOT, I REPEAT, NOT!! A STUPID LAW.

Comment from Danica
Time July 23, 2012 at 12:31 am

This law applies to ALL businesses. They can’t require a “cup fee” from what I understand either, unless there is an alternate water cup available. I have actually threatened a business because they tried to charge me once.

Comment from Keith K
Time July 31, 2012 at 11:38 pm

Thank you for all the comments I have lived in Nevada for 37 years and know it used to be legal
to shoot someone if you stold there water as for those who think it’s stupid try living here for
a while I think you’ll change your mind!

Comment from Lawlooker
Time August 19, 2012 at 9:33 pm

So far I see many opinions but not one quotable law or statute number I can show as proof. Does anyone out there know it for sure. or is it all wishful thinking?

Comment from Dominique
Time November 15, 2012 at 2:53 pm

I’ve lived in AZ my whole life, and I have used this “It’s illegal to not provide free drinking water” many times at bars that try to sell me a bottle of water instead of giving tap water. However, it isn’t an actual law. It isn’t in the ARS. I wish it were, because I would love to quote the actual citation. I suppose you could argue good samaritan laws apply. Generally just telling a bartender it’s illegal will work.

Comment from Tobi Odakoe
Time November 30, 2012 at 12:02 pm

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FREE WATAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment from Mindy T
Time January 11, 2013 at 1:29 pm

SMART LAW
This is one of the best things I’ve ever heard, and I actually think it should be the law everywhere. Maybe not for street vendors, but honestly it’s inhumane to refuse water even if you don’t live in the desert. We will die without water whether we can afford to buy it or not.

Comment from JustinC
Time March 3, 2013 at 6:52 pm

NO SUCH LAW. It simply doesn’t exist. Search the Arizona Revised Statutes, and it’s not there. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/arizonarevisedstatutes.asp

Comment from AZ resident
Time March 16, 2013 at 5:44 pm

You are correct JustinC. There is NO law that requires a restaurant to even provide water to customers. I went to a restaurant in Quartzsite. They do NOT serve tap water and you may not even drink in your own bottle of water when dining in.

However -You are free to purchase their bottled water for $1.25.
They serve alcohol and the waitress told me they would lose their license if they allowed a customer to bring in their own bottled water. She is dead wrong.
I sent an email to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control and received a response as follows “Title 4 (Arizona liquor law) and Title 19 (Arizona liquor regulation) do not restrict a licensee from allowing a patron to bring non-alcoholic beverages on to the licensed premises. This would be a house policy, not a law.”
Bottom line – Not only do they not serve tap water – you can’t even bring in your own. They blame the government but it’s really their own house policy. (greed)