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Benefit Plans Regulatory Asset (Details) (Postretirement pensions and other medical benefits [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Postretirement pensions and other medical benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Funded status of obligation	$ 75,139sjw_RegulatoryAssetsFundedStatusOfObligation / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember	$ 44,322sjw_RegulatoryAssetsFundedStatusOfObligation / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember
Accrued benefit cost	(6,704)sjw_RegulatoryLiabilitiesAccruedBenefitCost / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember	(7,030)sjw_RegulatoryLiabilitiesAccruedBenefitCost / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember
Amount to be recovered in future rates	68,435sjw_RegulatoryAssetsAmountToBeRecoveredInFutureRates / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember	37,292sjw_RegulatoryAssetsAmountToBeRecoveredInFutureRates / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember
Tax gross-up	47,059sjw_RegulatoryAssetsTaxGrossUp / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember	25,657sjw_RegulatoryAssetsTaxGrossUp / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember
Regulatory asset	$ 115,494us-gaap_RegulatoryAssets / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember	$ 62,949us-gaap_RegulatoryAssets / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PostretirementPensionsAndOtherMedicalBenefitsMember

X

- Definition

Regulatory Assets, Amount to be Recovered in Future Rates

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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X

- Definition

Regulatory Assets, Funded Status of Obligation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Regulatory Assets, Tax Gross Up

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Regulatory Liabilities, Accrued Benefit Cost

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_RegulatoryLiabilitiesAccruedBenefitCost
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

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

X

- Definition

The amount for the individual regulatory asset as itemized in a table of regulatory assets 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

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant