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Equity Plans (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Jan. 27, 2015
Jan. 02, 2015
vesting_installment
Aug. 04, 2014
Apr. 14, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Compensation costs charged to income: $ 399us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 244us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense        
Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance: 526us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities 280us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities        
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments: 433us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions 476us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions        
Incentive Plan            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Remaining shares available for issuance under the Incentive Plan (shares) 1,047,422us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= sjw_IncentivePlanMember
         
Shares issuable upon exercise of Incentive Plan awards (shares) 257,917sjw_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesIssuableUponExercise
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= sjw_IncentivePlanMember
         
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Compensation costs charged to income: 76us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
72us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
       
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments: 433us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
406us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
       
Unrecognized compensation costs 51us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
         
Purchase price of common stock under ESPP (percent) 85.00%us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardPurchasePriceOfCommonStockPercent
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
         
Maximum percentage of base compensation employees can designate for stock purchases under ESPP (percent) 10.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumEmployeeSubscriptionRate
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
         
Plan expense 39us-gaap_StockOptionPlanExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
36us-gaap_StockOptionPlanExpense
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
       
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (DRSPP)            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments: 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= sjw_DividendReinvestmentAndStockPurchasePlanMember
26us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= sjw_DividendReinvestmentAndStockPurchasePlanMember
       
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan (shares) 3,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= sjw_DividendReinvestmentAndStockPurchasePlanMember
         
Number of shares issued under the DRSPP (shares)   875sjw_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesDividendReinvestmentAndStockPurchasePlan
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= sjw_DividendReinvestmentAndStockPurchasePlanMember
       
Restricted stock and deferred restricted stock            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Compensation costs charged to income: 323us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= sjw_RestrictedStockAndDeferredRestrictedStockMember
172us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= sjw_RestrictedStockAndDeferredRestrictedStockMember
       
Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance: 526us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= sjw_RestrictedStockAndDeferredRestrictedStockMember
221us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= sjw_RestrictedStockAndDeferredRestrictedStockMember
       
Unrecognized compensation costs 1,988us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= sjw_RestrictedStockAndDeferredRestrictedStockMember
         
Recognition period for unrecognized compensation cost 1 year 2 months 19 days          
Stock options            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance: 0us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
59us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
       
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments: $ 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
$ 44us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
       
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Number of equity instruments granted (shares)     6,639us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
12,271us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
   
Number of equal successive installments for vesting of stock awards (vesting installments)       3sjw_NumberOfEqualSuccessiveInstallmentsForVestingOfStockAwards
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
   
Grant date fair value of equity instruments granted (usd per share)     $ 34.36us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
$ 29.83us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
   
Common Stock | Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan (shares) 400,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
         
Common Stock            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Shares Deregistered (in shares)           2,993,744sjw_SharesDeregisteredAvailableforIssuance
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Minimum            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Target vesting percentage         0.00%us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
 
Maximum            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Target vesting percentage         150.00%us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
 
Executive Officer [Member] | Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Number of equity instruments granted (shares)     3,252us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= us-gaap_ExecutiveOfficerMember
     
Grant date fair value of equity instruments granted (usd per share)     $ 34.36us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= us-gaap_ExecutiveOfficerMember