Saint John city council has agreed to move forward on a study regarding the use of a public-private partnership to develop a new water treatment system.

"Quite frankly the people in this city just want quality services and delivery," said Coun. Stephen Chase, who proposed looking into the partnership. "At this point I think it's probably the most viable option."

High levels of trihalomethanes detected in the water of residents living on the west side of Saint John in September ignited a push to improve the quality of the city's water supply.

The construction of two new filtration plants is estimated to have a cost between $110 million and $140 million for the city and would not be financially feasible until 2012.

With a strapped budget, a public-private partnership makes sense for the project and such projects have good track records for delivering services, said Chase.

But the city's union came out strongly against the idea at the council meeting on Monday night.

"Public water systems don't operate for profit," said Mike Davidson, a representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). "They operate for a public right same as health care."

Public-private partnerships provide too much opportunity to mix the public right for access with a corporation trying to make a profit, Davidson said.

"Profits are the main goal and not the service."

The city should instead be going to the federal government to ask for money to help cover the costs, said Davidson.