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v2.4.1.9

Income Taxes (Details 2) (USD $) | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
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Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards and credits deferred tax assets | $ 102,810,000 wat_DeferredTaxAssetsNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsAndCredits | $ 116,567,000 wat_DeferredTaxAssetsNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsAndCredits |
Depreciation deferred tax assets | 11,979,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsPropertyPlantAndEquipment | 7,163,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
Stock-based compensation deferred tax assets | 18,702,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost | 22,684,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost |
Deferred compensation deferred tax assets | 34,301,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsEmployeeCompensation | 25,391,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsEmployeeCompensation |
Revaluation of equity method investments deferred tax assets | 5,819,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsEquityMethodInvestments | 3,832,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsEquityMethodInvestments |
Inventory deferred tax assets | 4,104,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory | 3,651,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory |
Accrued liabilities and reserves deferred tax assets | 9,368,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccruals | 23,268,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccruals |
Other deferred tax assets | 18,097,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther | 15,289,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther |
Total deferred tax assets | 205,180,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross | 217,845,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross |
Valuation allowance | (82,550,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | (94,952,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance | 122,630,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet | 122,893,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet |
Capitalized software deferred tax liabilities | (16,253,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDeferredExpenseCapitalizedSoftware | (18,012,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDeferredExpenseCapitalizedSoftware |
Amortization deferred tax liabilities | (8,765,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets | (3,798,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets |
Indefinite-lived intangibles deferred tax liabilities | (18,094,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsGoodwill | (18,840,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsGoodwill |
Total deferred tax liabilities | (43,112,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities | (40,650,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities |
Net deferred tax assets | 79,518,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet | 82,243,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet |
Net operating loss carryforwards and credits valuation allowance | 78,000,000 wat_DeferredTaxesValuationAllowanceNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsAndCredits |  |
Current net deferred tax assets | 36,691,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent | 31,423,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent |
Noncurrent net deferred tax assets | 61,920,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent | 69,466,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent |
Current net deferred tax liabilities | (1,096,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent | (579,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent |
Noncurrent net deferred tax liabilities | (17,997,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent | (18,067,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent |
Refinancing of inter-company debt [Member] |  |  |
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards and credits deferred tax assets |  |  | 111,000,000 wat_DeferredTaxAssetsNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsAndCredits / wat_DeferredTaxAssetByComponentAxis = wat_RefinancingOfInterCompanyDebtMember
Valuation allowance |  |  | (75,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / wat_DeferredTaxAssetByComponentAxis = wat_RefinancingOfInterCompanyDebtMember
Net operating losses and credits [Member] |  |  |
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance | $ 25,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet / wat_DeferredTaxAssetByComponentAxis = wat_NetOperatingLossesAndCreditsMember |  |

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