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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details)
customer in Thousands
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
registrant
customer
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
USD ($)
Oct. 27, 2015
USD ($)
Summary of significant accounting policies        
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense $ 4,700,000      
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction $ 2,600,000 $ 2,700,000 $ 2,600,000  
Basis of Presentation:        
Number of registrants filing combined report | registrant 2      
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets        
Impairment of long-lived assets $ 0      
Goodwill        
Goodwill arose from acquisition of subcontractor's business 1,100,000 1,100,000    
Sales and Use Taxes:        
Non-income tax assessments accounted on a gross basis $ 16,636,000 $ 16,722,000 $ 15,865,000  
Military Utility Privatization Subsidiaries        
Summary of significant accounting policies        
Period of Fixed Price Contracts to Maintain Water Systems at Various Military Bases 50 years      
GSWC        
Property and Depreciation        
Aggregate composite rate for depreciation (as a percent) 3.20% 3.20% 3.35%  
Depreciation on transportation equipment $ 641,000 $ 678,000 $ 877,000  
Estimated useful lives of utility plant, as authorized by the CPUC        
Generation 40 years      
Interest        
Amount recorded in AFUDC $ 694,000 24,000 270,000  
Alternative-Revenue Programs        
Number of months within which expected additional revenue collection is recorded 24 months      
Advances for Construction and Contributions in aid of Constructions        
Period for refund of advances for construction 40 years      
Fair Value of Financial Instruments        
Long-term debt-GSWC $ 403,844,000      
Sales and Use Taxes:        
Franchise fees billed to customers and recorded as operating revenue 3,800,000 3,700,000 3,600,000  
Non-income tax assessments accounted on a gross basis 15,244,000 15,221,000 14,072,000  
GSWC | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]        
Fair Value of Financial Instruments        
Long-term debt-GSWC 0      
GSWC | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]        
Fair Value of Financial Instruments        
Long-term debt-GSWC 0      
GSWC | Carrying Amount        
Fair Value of Financial Instruments        
Long-term debt-GSWC 325,853,000 326,090,000    
GSWC | Fair Value        
Fair Value of Financial Instruments        
Long-term debt-GSWC   417,057,000    
GSWC | Fair Value | Level 2        
Fair Value of Financial Instruments        
Long-term debt-GSWC $ 403,844,000      
GSWC | Minimum        
Estimated useful lives of utility plant, as authorized by the CPUC        
Source of water supply 30 years      
Pumping 25 years      
Water treatment 20 years      
Transmission and distribution 25 years      
Other plant 7 years      
GSWC | Maximum        
Estimated useful lives of utility plant, as authorized by the CPUC        
Source of water supply 50 years      
Pumping 40 years      
Water treatment 35 years      
Transmission and distribution 55 years      
Other plant 40 years      
GSWC | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]        
Related Party Transactions        
Debt Instrument, Face Amount       $ 40,000,000
Debt Instrument, Maximum Borrowing Capacity       40,000,000
GSWC | Purchase, production, distribution and sale of water        
Nature of Operations:        
Number of customers served | customer 260      
Interest        
Weighted cost of capital (as a percent) 8.34%      
GSWC | Electric        
Nature of Operations:        
Number of customers served | customer 24      
Sales and Use Taxes:        
Cost Of Debt Percent 6.96%      
American States Utility Services [Member]        
Sales and Use Taxes:        
Non-income tax assessments accounted on a gross basis $ 367,000 $ 490,000 $ 864,000  
American States Utility Services [Member] | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]        
Related Party Transactions        
Debt Instrument, Face Amount       10,000,000
Debt Instrument, Maximum Borrowing Capacity       $ 10,000,000
American States Utility Services [Member] | Military Utility Privatization Subsidiaries        
Nature of Operations:        
Period of fixed price contracts to operate and maintain the water and/or wastewater systems at various military bases 50 years      
AWR        
Related Party Transactions        
Maximum borrowing capacity on line of credit $ 100,000,000.0      
Notes Receivable | AWR | Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]        
Related Party Transactions        
Notes Receivable, Related Parties, Current $ 0      
Sales [Member] | GSWC | Purchase, production, distribution and sale of water        
Nature of Operations:        
Percentage of total revenues 90.00% 90.00% 90.00%  
Syndicated revolving credit facility | AWR | Syndicated revolving credit facility        
Related Party Transactions        
Maximum borrowing capacity on line of credit $ 100,000,000