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Long-Term Debt 3 (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2009 USD ($)
Long-term debt
Loan proceeds received for reimbursement of costs of conversion	$ 0	$ 0	$ 14,846,000
Notes Payable 3.45 Percent Due 2029 [Member]
Long-term debt
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.45%	3.45%
GSWC
Long-term debt
Ratio of Indebtedness to EBITDA	2.9
Loan proceeds received for reimbursement of costs of conversion	$ 0	$ 0	$ 14,846,000
GSWC | Maximum [Member]
Long-term debt
Ratio of Indebtedness to EBITDA	8
GSWC | Private Placement Notes [Member]
Long-term debt
Debt Instrument Covenant Interest Coverage Ratio	400.00%
GSWC | Private Placement Notes [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Long-term debt
Debt Instrument Covenant Interest Coverage Ratio	200.00%
GSWC | Debt issues other than 9.56% Notes and Senior Notes issued to Co-Bank | Maximum [Member]
Long-term debt
Debt Instrument Redemption Premium as Percentage of Par Value	0.00%
GSWC | Notes Payable 3.45 Percent Due 2029 [Member]
Long-term debt
Debt Instrument, Face Amount				$ 15,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.45%	3.45%
GSWC | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Obligation due 2033
Long-term debt
Maximum amount of loan that can be borrowed					$ 9,000,000.0
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.50%
Maturity term	20 years
Loan proceeds received for reimbursement of costs of conversion	$ 8,600,000
GSWC | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Obligation due 2033 | Letters of credit to CDHP
Long-term debt
Letters of credit issued, percentage of maximum available under facility	80.00%
Amount of debt issued	$ 5,400,000.0

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+ References

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- Definition

Represents the maximum amount of letters of credit that may be issued expressed as a percentage of the maximum borrowing capacity of the facility.

+ References

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Represents the term of the debt instrument.

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- Definition

Represents the redemption premium as a percentage of the par value of debt instrument.

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No definition available.

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Ratio of Indebtedness to EBITDA

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- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

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- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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- Definition

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

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- 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.

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- Definition

The cash inflow from a debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
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