Although the number of water accounts in arrears remains high, officials said that the proposed rate increase, reported in The Daily News yesterday, had more to do with soaring costs for fuel, health care and supplies than with uncollected bills.

An anticipated slowdown in the British economy next year has already doubled the number of credit card accounts in arrears compared with last year, according to figures from the Equifax financial information group, suggesting that both the newcomers and the veterans of the credit card industry will be scrambling to maintain growth.