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Retirement Plans (Details 1) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Method used to amortize net gains and losses in defined benefit plan amortize cumulative actuarial gains and losses in excess of 10% of the larger of the market-related value of plan assets and the projected benefit obligation over the expected future service of active participants.    
Other Non-U S Retirement Plans [Member]      
Retirement Plan Disclosures [Line Items]      
Company contributions to retirement plans $ 11,000,000wat_CompanyContributionsToRetirementPlans
/ wat_RetirementPlansAxis
= wat_OtherNonUSRetirementPlansMember
$ 12,000,000wat_CompanyContributionsToRetirementPlans
/ wat_RetirementPlansAxis
= wat_OtherNonUSRetirementPlansMember
$ 11,000,000wat_CompanyContributionsToRetirementPlans
/ wat_RetirementPlansAxis
= wat_OtherNonUSRetirementPlansMember
U S Defined Contribution Plan [Member]      
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Employee 401(k) contributions, lower range limit 1.00%wat_DefinedContributionPlanMinimumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
   
Employee 401(k) contributions, upper range limit 60.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
   
Company 401(k) matching contribution rate 100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercentOfMatch
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
   
Company 401(k) matching contribution limit 6.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
   
Annual vesting percentage on 401(k) match 100.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
   
Annual vesting percentage on employee 401(k) contributions 100.00%wat_DefinedContributionPlanEmployeeContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
   
Company contributions to defined contribution plans 13,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
13,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
12,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ wat_DefinedContributionPlansAxis
= wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
Minimum      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated future employer contributions to defined benefit plans in the next fiscal year 4,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Maximum      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated future employer contributions to defined benefit plans in the next fiscal year 11,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
U.S. Pension Plans      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Accumulated benefit obligation 155,693,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
134,592,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
 
Non-U.S. Pension Plans      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Accumulated benefit obligation $ 69,664,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
$ 58,471,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember