Good news, bad news.

Portland officials released the proposed water and sewer rates for 2012-13 on Thursday.

And, as expected, they're going up again.

However, they're not going up as much as the same officials predicted they would last year.

At the

, administrators are proposing an 11 percent hike instead of a 14.4 percent increase.

If approved this summer in Mayor Sam Adams' final budget, the new water rate would translate to a $2.73 per month increase for the average resident. That means customers now paying $24.76 per month would pay $27.49.

Under the 14.4 percent increase they would have paid $28.33 per month.

Over at the Bureau of Environmental Services, the agency responsible for sewers and storm drains, the rates are set to increase 5.9 percent. However, last year at this time officials projected the rates would increase by 6.4 percent.

Currently,

. That would jump to almost $59.85 per month under the proposed rate increase. But it would have been $60.14.

Much could change between now and June when the city's final budget is approved.

For one thing, the Water Bureau's proposal assumes

. But state authorities likely won't issue their final decision on that matter until March.

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Reading:

The Oregonian:

The Oregonian editorial board:

Willamette Week:

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