Only In Seattle

But the Washington state Supreme Court ruled the city for two years unfairly charged its water customers for hydrant service --a cost the city should've paid out of the general fund.

So the average Seattle water customer will get a court-ordered refund of $45. But the customers won't come out on top.

Someone has to pay for they hydrants, and city leaders say they don't have the money in the general fund. As a result, the city plans to charge the recipients of the refund a surcharge of $59.

The attorneys who fought the city on the hydrants will get $4.2 million plus interest charges.