XML 76 R61.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Retirement Plans (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Company contributions made to other non-U.S. post-retirement plans | $ 12,000 | $ 12,000 | $ 11,000
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. |  |
Minimum |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Estimated future employer contributions to defined benefit plans in the next fiscal year | $ 4,000 |  |
Maximum |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Estimated future employer contributions to defined benefit plans in the next fiscal year | $ 10,000 |  |
U S Defined Contribution Plan [Member] |  |  |
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Employee 401(k) contributions as % of salary, upper range limit | 60.00% |  |
Company 401(k) matching contribution rate as % of employee contribution | 100.00% |  |
Company 401(k) matching contribution limit as % of salary | 6.00% |  |
Annual vesting percentage on 401(k) match | 100.00% |  |
Annual vesting percentage on employee 401(k) contributions | 100.00% |  |
Company contributions to defined contribution plans | $ 16,000 | 15,000 | $ 14,000
U.S. Pension Plans |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Accumulated benefit obligation | 168,064 | 159,416 |
Non-U.S. Pension Plans |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Accumulated benefit obligation | $ 82,615 | $ 72,618 |

X
- Definition Amount of actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered, excluding assumptions about future compensation level. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Description of alternative method used to amortize gain (loss) for defined benefit plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (o) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAlternativeMethodUsedToAmortizeNetGainsAndLosses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of contributions expected to be received by defined benefit plan from employer in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureEmployerContributionsNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of cost for defined contribution plan. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 70 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170846&loc=d3e28014-114942 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of employees' gross pay for which the employer contributes a matching contribution to a defined contribution plan. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage employer matches of the employee's percentage contribution matched. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercentOfMatch
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of employer's matching contributions to a defined contribution plan that vests in a given year. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Maximum percentage of employee gross pay the employee may contribute to a defined contribution plan. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Vesting percentage of employee's contributions to a defined contribution plan. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_DefinedContributionPlanEmployeeContributionAnnualVestingPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of the cost recognized during the period for non-U.S. retirement plans not in the scope of US GAAP. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_RetirementPlansCompanyContributionsToOtherNonUSRetirementPlans
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanNameAxis=wat_USDefinedContributionPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_DomesticPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |