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v2.4.1.9

Dividend Limitations (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Dividend limitations |  |  |  |
Common shareholder’s equity | $ 506,801,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity | $ 492,404,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity | $ 454,579,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity | $ 408,666,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) | 253,602,000 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit | 238,443,000 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit |  |
GSWC |  |  |  |
Dividend limitations |  |  |  |
Fixed amount in computing maximum ability to pay dividends | 21,000,000.0 awr_DebtCovenantDividendLimitationsFixedAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember |  |  |
Percentage of consolidated net income plus the aggregate net cash proceeds received from capital stock offerings or other instruments convertible into capital stock | 100.00%awr_DebtCovenantDividendLimitationsVariableBasisPercentageOfConsolidatedNetIncome / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember |  |  |
Amount available to pay dividends under the most restrictive of the Note Agreements | 367,700,000 awr_AmountAvailableForDividendDistributionUnderDebtCovenants / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember |  |  |
Dividends paid | 52,000,000 awr_PaymentsOfDividendsFromSubsidiaries / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember | 29,400,000 awr_PaymentsOfDividendsFromSubsidiaries / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember | 10,200,000 awr_PaymentsOfDividendsFromSubsidiaries / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember |
Common shareholder’s equity | 435,190,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember | 437,613,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember | 416,257,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember | 384,806,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital | 0.4367 us-gaap_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapital1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember |  |  |
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) | 199,583,000 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember | 203,892,000 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember |  |
GSWC | Maximum |  |  |  |
Dividend limitations |  |  |  |
Ratio of Indebtedness to Net Capital | 0.6667 us-gaap_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapital1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |
AWR |  |  |  |
Dividend limitations |  |  |  |
Dividends paid |  |  | (16,900,000)awr_PaymentsOfDividendsFromSubsidiaries / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |
Common shareholder’s equity | 506,801,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember | 492,404,000 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) | 199,600,000 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |  |
American States Utility Services [Member] |  |  |  |
Dividend limitations |  |  |  |
Dividends paid |  |  | 6,700,000 awr_PaymentsOfDividendsFromSubsidiaries / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_AmericanStatesUtilityServicesMember |
American States Utility Services [Member] | Maximum |  |  |  |
Dividend limitations |  |  |  |
Amount available to pay dividends | $ 41,300,000 us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryAmountAvailableForDividendPayments / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_AmericanStatesUtilityServicesMember / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |

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- Definition Represents the maximum fixed amount added to the variable portion of the total dividend limitation ceiling as defined by debt covenants. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Represents the percentage of consolidated net income added to the fixed portion of the total dividend limitation ceiling as defined by debt covenants. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The cumulative amount of the reporting entity's undistributed earnings or deficit. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 31 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.31(a)(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity's stockholders' equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders' equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 4.E) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74512-122707 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 4 -Section E Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29-31) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 + Details
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