Saint John Mayor Ivan Court did not argue against starting talks with Rothesay to solve a water dispute. (CBC)

Saint John councillors will attempt to talk to officials in Rothesay even as the city prepares to sue the suburban town in a longstanding water dispute.

Saint John councillors agreed on Monday that they would talk to their counterparts in Rothesay about the water dispute.

Saint John has supplied the two suburban neighbourhoods of Kennebecasis Park and Hastings Cove with water ever since the 1990s.

The threats of a lawsuit come after Rothesay added the two neighbourhoods to its water supply in February.

Even though the neighbourhoods were amalgamated with Rothesay in the 1990s, Saint John Mayor Ivan Court said last week that the contract still stands.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase said he would take part in the talks that could avoid a potential lawsuit.

Court did not argue against the proposal to open up talks with Rothesay but remained skeptical

"Rothesay has to step up to the plate and do the right thing in this," Court said.

The decision to sue was made last week after Rothesay, citing quality issues, cut itself off from a city watermain breaking a 15-year contract.

Council was told Rothesay's move will cost city taxpayers money because 80 per cent of the customers on the line have been lost.

Water that used to travel through the main in 36 hours now takes four and a half days. That makes contamination more likely. To keep it fresh city workers are opening a fire hydrant to drain off hundreds of thousands of litres.

The city has not yet filed the law-suit with the courts.

Three members of council's water and sewerage committee have agreed to participate in talks with Rothesay.