Saint John city council is demanding more money from the federal and provincial governments as its ambitious harbour cleanup project is already $20 million over its original budget.

Saint John has been talking for decades about treating the raw sewage now pouring into the harbour. The city finally managed to get the funding from the federal and provincial government in 2006 with the proviso that the municipality pick up all cost overruns.

'The bottom line is it's going to cost more than we anticipated.'— Pat Woods, Saint John's acting city manager

When city council first approved the harbour cleanup project, it was supposed to cost $79 million but that has since ballooned to $99 million.

Saint John council passed a motion on Monday night asking that Ottawa and Fredericton kick in even more money to the project.

The resolution came after Pat Woods, the acting city manager, recited a series of delays with the project, including site conditions, technology and inflation.

"The bottom line is it's going to cost more than we anticipated," Woods told city council on Monday night.

Construction is about to start on the $50-million sewage treatment plant, the centrepiece of the project. However, Woods said that construction of some sewage lift stations could be delayed.

"We have to live within our means. So at the end of the day it may mean that during the capital budget process we're back before council saying some of these projects have to be staggered, some of them have to be deferred to look for other opportunities," Woods said.

"We don't want to create a situation where water rates are unaffordable or there's a rate shock in the city."

Steven Chase, the city's deputy mayor, said he loves the cleanup project, but a 24 per cent jump in less than three years is too much.

"I just think the provincial and federal funders would be incredulous if we went back and said 'Oh, by the way, on top of that $80 million project for harbour funding we need another $19 million,'" he said.