MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura has rejected claims that is doing the rounds on social media that they were ones who called for setting new fees for water connections.

In a statement on Thursday, the Shura Council said: “As a follow-up to what has been discussed on the involvement of the council in imposing fees on connecting water services to residential plots in the Sultanate, the Shura Council states that it did not call for the increase of fees and did not submit it as a proposal or a recommendation. The Council confirms in all its works to not affect the standards of living of the citizens.

Earlier this week, the Public Authority for Water (Diam) had said that new homeowners who wished to connect to their homes will have to pay at least OMR 700. The fee was for connecting drinking water services to residential lands with an area of less than 2,000 square meters and would increase depending on the size of the land.

Diam had said that the fee only applies to new homes and does not include homes that already receive drinking water services.

The Shura Council statement, added: “Outside the Shura Council, any request or suggestion from any member in the council remains a personal point of view that does not represent the council’s perspective.”