Splitting Utility Bill Between Units

[Robert Mirman]

I have a property with two buildings on one lot, one is a 4BR, the other a studio. Both buildings have their own electric meter, but share water.  I pay the water bill which averages $104 a month.

There are cheap water meters that I could put on the line that runs from the main house to the studio.  With this I would know how much water the studio was using and then subtracting that from the bill from the water company I could know how much the house was using.  Can I then use this to charge the tenants their share of the water bill?  I would either start doing this when a tenant leaves, or I could give them 30 days notice as they are both on month to month and have been their long enough that they are now below market rents.  Or I could raise the rent in lieu of making them pay the water bill as that would certainly be easier.  The house is in SC.

Any thoughts?