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Retirement Plans (Details 9)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Defined benefit plan investment goals The asset allocation policy for the U.S. Pension Plans and U.S. retiree healthcare plan was developed in consideration of the following long-term investment objectives: achieving a return on assets consistent with the investment policy, achieving portfolio returns which exceed the average return for similarly invested funds and maximizing portfolio returns with at least a return of 2.5% above the one-year constant maturity Treasury bond yield over reasonable measurement periods and based on reasonable market cycles.
Defined benefit plan diversification The Company targets a 20% allocation of its U.S. retirement plans’ equity portfolio to be invested in financial markets outside of the United States.
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Equity Securities  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 60.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Equity Securities | Minimum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 40.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Equity Securities | Maximum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 80.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Debt Securities [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 25.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Minimum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Maximum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 60.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Minimum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 0.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Maximum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Insurance Contracts and Other [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 10.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= wat_InsuranceContractsAndOtherMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Insurance Contracts and Other [Member] | Minimum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 0.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= wat_InsuranceContractsAndOtherMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
U. S. Pension Plans And U. S. Retiree Healthcare Plan [Member] | Insurance Contracts and Other [Member] | Maximum  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= wat_InsuranceContractsAndOtherMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= wat_USPensionPlansAndUSRetireeHealthcarePlanMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Non-U.S. Pension Plans | Equity Securities  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Non-U.S. Pension Plans | Debt Securities [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 10.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Non-U.S. Pension Plans | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Non-U.S. Pension Plans | Insurance Contracts and Other [Member]  
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Target plan asset allocation in defined benefit plan 65.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= wat_InsuranceContractsAndOtherMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember