Represents the funded debt ratio required to be maintained for debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	awr_DebtInstrumentCovenantFundedDebtRatio
Namespace Prefix:	awr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the interest coverage ratio required to be maintained for debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	awr_DebtInstrumentCovenantInterestCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	awr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

-- None. No documentation exists for this element. --

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	awr_ScheduleOfDebtInstrumentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	awr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ 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 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-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 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Current portion of the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date due within one year or the operating cycle, if longer, on all notes payable to banks paid on an installment with long term maturities. This can include the amount of any loans from the applicant firm. This does not, however, include any mortgage balances.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesPayableToBankCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of short-term debt outstanding.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

For the form of debt having an initial term of less than one year or less than the normal operating cycle, if longer, average borrowings during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShorttermDebtAverageOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For the form of debt having an initial term of less than one year or less than the normal operating cycle, if longer, the maximum amount borrowed at any time during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShorttermDebtMaximumAmountOutstandingDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=awr_SyndicatedRevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

Bank Debt (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Bank Debt (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Balance outstanding at the end of the period	$ 90,000,000	$ 28,000,000
Short-term borrowing (excluding letters of credit)
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Balance outstanding at the end of the period	$ 90,000,000	$ 28,000,000
Interest Rate at the end of the period (as a percent)	1.46%	1.09%
Average amount outstanding	$ 59,261,000	$ 4,112,000
Weighted Average Annual Interest Rate (as a percent)	1.20%	0.92%
Maximum Amount Outstanding	$ 96,000,000	$ 37,000,000
Syndicated revolving credit facility
Bank debt
Variable rate basis	Euro rate
Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Minimum
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Interest coverage ratio	325.00%
Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Maximum [Member]
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Total funded debt ratio	65.00%
Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Letter of Credit Irrevocable Franchise Agreement with City of Rancho Cordova [Member]
Bank debt
Letter of credit, amount	$ 15,000,000
AWR
Bank debt
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 150,000,000	$ 100,000,000.0
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Balance outstanding at the end of the period	$ 90,000,000	$ 28,000,000
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Interest coverage ratio	707.00%
Total funded debt ratio	46.00%
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Minimum
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Interest coverage ratio	325.00%
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Maximum [Member]
Short-term borrowing activities (excluding letters of credit)
Total funded debt ratio	65.00%
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Letters of credit
Bank debt
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 25,000,000
Letter of credit, amount	$ 9,900,000
Letter of credit fee (as a percent)	0.65%
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Letter of Credit Business Automobile Insurance Policy Security [Member]
Bank debt
Letter of credit, amount	$ 340,000
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Letter of Credit - Purchase of power
Bank debt
Letter of credit, amount	585,000,000
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Irrevocable Letter of Credit - Edison Settlement agreement
Bank debt
Letter of credit, amount	3,600,000
AWR \| Syndicated revolving credit facility \| Letter of Credit - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Bank debt
Letter of credit, amount	$ 5,400,000