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Income Taxes (Details 3) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits, balance at the beginning of the period	$ 24,716,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	$ 64,390,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	$ 73,199,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities		(35,279,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities	(5,625,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Other changes in uncertain tax benefits	(5,120,000)wat_OtherChangesInUncertainTaxBenefits	(4,395,000)wat_OtherChangesInUncertainTaxBenefits	(3,184,000)wat_OtherChangesInUncertainTaxBenefits
Unrecognized tax benefits, balance at the end of the period	19,596,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	24,716,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	64,390,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Provision for income tax audit settlement		4,000,000us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions
Expected change in unrecognized tax benefits in the next twelve months	$ (5,000,000)us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit

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- Definition

The amount of the unrecognized tax benefit of a position taken for which it is reasonably possible that the total amount thereof will significantly increase or decrease within twelve months of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (d)

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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) to previously recorded tax expense. Includes, but is not limited to, significant settlements of income tax disputes, and unusual tax positions or infrequent actions taken by the entity, including tax assessment reversal, and IRS tax settlement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28446-109314



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854



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Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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The amount of (decrease) increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from changes in all other tax positions.

+ References

No definition available.

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