(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) The Municipal Council in Muscat has proposed levying a sewage clearing charge on households not connected to the drainage network. The amount proposed to be charged will be 35 per cent of the water consumption bill.
With this charge Haya Water will take over sewage cleaning of households that currently depend mainly on private contractors. Speaking to Muscat Daily Eng Zuhair Abdul Ridha al Lawati a member of Muscat Municipal Council from the wilayat of Muttrah said 'We have sent a proposal to Haya Water to see if it's feasible to charge 35 per cent of the water bill for clearing sewage from houses not linked to the network.'
Citing reasons behind the proposal he said 'We started receiving complaints of overflowing sewage tanks. There are cases wherein house owners or landlords do not get the job done. Some try to cut corners by installing smaller sewage tanks than needed or getting the tanks cleared only weekly when it should be done twice or thrice a week.'
Eng Lawati said that Muscat Municipality Haya Water and private operators run yellow tankers that clear sewage tanks and their rate 'could go up to RO20 depending on the size of the tank'. He said that Haya Water has been asked to conduct a feasibility study on the charges; the report is expected by year-end.
'If the proposal is okayed we may need more tankers to remove sewage. The cost per unit is going to be higher than 35 per cent and so the government will have to compensate.' According to Eng Lawati the households connected to the drainage network are currently being charged the same percentage. 'We plan to impose the same on those that are not yet connected.'
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