XML 80 R65.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.4

Debt - Summary of Outstanding Debt (Parenthetical) (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin		1.25%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	5.00%	5.00%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series E [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.97%	3.97%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series F [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.40%	3.40%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series G [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.92%	3.92%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series H [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin	1.25%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series I [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.13%	3.13%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series K [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.44%	3.44%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series L [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.31%	3.31%
Senior Unsecured Notes Series M [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt instrument	3.53%	3.53%

X

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

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_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesEMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesFMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesGMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesHMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesIMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesKMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesLMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=wat_SeniorUnsecuredNotesSeriesMMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: