XML 62 R52.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.23.3

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2023 | Oct. 01, 2022 | Sep. 30, 2023 | Oct. 01, 2022
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Income tax holiday amount |  |  | $ 11 | $ 15
Income tax holiday per share benefit |  |  | $ 0.18 | $ 0.25
Effective income tax rate | 12.20% | 14.90% | 14.60% | 14.50%
Gross unrecognized tax benefit would impact the Company's effective tax rate | $ 32 | $ 29 | $ 32 | $ 29
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Expected change in unrecognized tax benefits in the next twelve months | $ 18 |  | $ 18 |
United States [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Statutory tax rate |  |  | 21.00% |
Ireland [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Statutory tax rate |  |  | 12.50% |
U.K [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Statutory tax rate |  |  | 25.00% |
Singapore [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Statutory tax rate |  |  | 17.00% |
Singapore [Member] | April Two Thousand And Twenty One To March Two Thousand And Twenty Six [Member] | New Contractual Arrangement [Member] |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Statutory tax rate |  |  | 5.00% |

X
- Definition Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-12 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(h)(2)) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480678/235-10-S99-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-12 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479360/740-10-S99-1 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of income taxes from which a reporting entity is exempt or for which it will receive a reduction in income taxes as a result of the income tax holiday granted by the taxing jurisdiction. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.C) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479360/740-10-S99-2 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayAggregateDollarAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Per share amount effect of the income tax benefit resulting from the income tax holidays granted by taxing jurisdictions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.C) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479360/740-10-S99-2 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (d) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (b) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15A + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Income taxes. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_IncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss). + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | wat_StatutoryTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | wat_
Data Type: | dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_IE
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_GB
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_SG
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis=wat_AprilTwoThousandAndTwentyOneToMarchTwoThousandAndTwentySixMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | wat_AgreementAxis=wat_NewContractualArrangementMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |