final water bill Milwaukee -

[Kelly G.]

Greetings 

My tenants have moved out of my SFH in Milwaukee - I took the water meter reading and called the city for a final bill. Milwaukee wants to charge $35 for a 'final' water bill.

Milwaukee landlords:

1) can I pass this $35 on to the tenants?

2) any reason I can't just calculate the bill based on reading (using rates on the back of the bill) - and save the $35 req'd by the City?  with approval by tenants?

Also - the current 'quarterly' water bill (meter reading April 13th) won't arrive until May 21 - the last day the security deposit refund is due in WI (move out on april 30).  I'd rather not expect my tenants to pay me for the bill, but can't hold their deposit and city won't issue the quarterly bill earlier.   So I'm tempted to calculate the full amount due myself - using last meter reading (from last bill in Jan) and current reading and deduct from security deposit - with coordination/agreement from tenants.  

Does anyone see a problem with this?  How do Mke landlords handle this?

Thanks