SAINT JOHN, N.B. – The glass is half full for Saint John residents as the city’s 2013 water and sewage rates will not increase by as much as first thought.

Common council approved a 3.7% hike for next year, which will have customers paying an extra $36 a year.

City Manager Pat Woods says finding the proper rate increase for residents was tough. “We don’t want home owners paying industry costs and industry costs, large industry doesn’t want to be paying small industry. You’re a certain class of user and you shouldn’t be paying the rates of someone else”

Saint John Water had originally proposed an increase of $72 a year to help pay for improvements to the city’s water system.

The lower increase is based on the acceptance of a shared risk pension plan by the city.