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Regulatory Matters: (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory asset not accruing carrying costs	$ 68,600,000awr_RegulatoryAssetNotAccruingCarryingCosts
Other Liabilities, Current	17,711,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent	18,760,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent
Pension and other post-retirement obligations
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory asset not accruing carrying costs	40,200,000awr_RegulatoryAssetNotAccruingCarryingCosts / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_PensionCostsAndOtherPostretirementBenefitCostsMember
Derivative unrealized loss
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory asset not accruing carrying costs	6,200,000awr_RegulatoryAssetNotAccruingCarryingCosts / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsMember
Flow-through taxes, net
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory asset not accruing carrying costs	17,100,000awr_RegulatoryAssetNotAccruingCarryingCosts / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_FlowThroughTaxesNetMember
Other regulatory assets
Regulatory matters:
Other Liabilities, Current	4,300,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_OtherRegulatoryAssetsNetMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	131,921,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember	125,704,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember
Other Liabilities, Current	17,420,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember	18,659,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Water Revenue Adjustment Mechanism, net of Modified Cost Balancing Account
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	17,948,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_WaterRevenueAdjustmentMechanismNetOfModifiedCostBalancingAccountMember	9,369,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_WaterRevenueAdjustmentMechanismNetOfModifiedCostBalancingAccountMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Base Revenue Requirement Adjustment Mechanism
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	6,452,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_BaseRevenueRequirementAdjustmentMechanismMember	7,761,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_BaseRevenueRequirementAdjustmentMechanismMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Costs deferred for future recovery on Aerojet case
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	13,457,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_CostsDeferredForFutureRecoveryOnAerojetCaseMember	13,629,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_CostsDeferredForFutureRecoveryOnAerojetCaseMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Pension and other post-retirement obligations
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	42,884,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_PensionCostsAndOtherPostretirementBenefitCostsMember	43,426,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_PensionCostsAndOtherPostretirementBenefitCostsMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Derivative unrealized loss
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	6,176,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsMember	3,339,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Flow-through taxes, net
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	17,092,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_FlowThroughTaxesNetMember	17,612,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_FlowThroughTaxesNetMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Low income rate assistance balancing accounts
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	9,215,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_LowIncomeRateAssistanceBalancingAccountsMember	9,109,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_LowIncomeRateAssistanceBalancingAccountsMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | General rate case memorandum accounts
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	4,651,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_GeneralRateCaseMemorandumAccountsMember	4,731,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_GeneralRateCaseMemorandumAccountsMember
GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY | Other regulatory assets
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	14,686,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_OtherRegulatoryAssetsNetMember	17,487,000us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = awr_OtherRegulatoryAssetsNetMember
Various refunds to customers | GOLDEN STATE WATER COMPANY
Regulatory matters:
Regulatory assets	$ (640,000)us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryLiabilityAxis = us-gaap_RevenueSubjectToRefundMember	$ (759,000)us-gaap_NetRegulatoryAssets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = awr_GoldenStateWaterCompanyMember / us-gaap_RegulatoryLiabilityAxis = us-gaap_RevenueSubjectToRefundMember

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- Definition

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+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The net amount of all regulatory assets less all regulatory liabilities as of the end of the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 980

-SubTopic 340

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6499975&loc=d3e44250-110382

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Aggregate carrying amount of current liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer) not separately disclosed in the balance sheet. Includes costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered and of liabilities not separately disclosed.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6911-107765



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-Topic 210

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