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Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 27, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 26, 2015	Jan. 05, 2015
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		$ (1,377)sjw_MemorandumAccountNet	$ (1,896)sjw_MemorandumAccountNet
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		423sjw_MemorandumAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction	197sjw_MemorandumAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction
Refunds (Collections)		165sjw_MemorandumAccountRefundsCollections	0sjw_MemorandumAccountRefundsCollections
Ending Balance		(789)sjw_MemorandumAccountNet	(1,699)sjw_MemorandumAccountNet
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		48,438sjw_BalancingAccountNet	9,585sjw_BalancingAccountNet
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		1,144sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction	(607)sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction
Refunds (Collections)		(3,224)sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections	0sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections
Ending Balance		46,358sjw_BalancingAccountNet	8,978sjw_BalancingAccountNet
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		47,061sjw_BalancingAndMemorandumAccountNet	7,689sjw_BalancingAndMemorandumAccountNet
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		1,567sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRevenueIncreaseReductionNet	(410)sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRevenueIncreaseReductionNet
Refunds (Collections)		(3,059)sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRefundsCollections	0sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRefundsCollections
Ending Balance		45,569sjw_BalancingAndMemorandumAccountNet	7,279sjw_BalancingAndMemorandumAccountNet
Authorized Regulatory Surcharge, Gross	1,876sjw_AuthorizedRegulatorySurchargeGross
Net under-collected balancing and memorandum accounts		8,115sjw_RegulatoryBalancingandMemorandumAccountsNetUnderCollected
Memorandum Account, Recovery Request				9,567sjw_MemorandumAccountRecoveryRequest	976sjw_MemorandumAccountRecoveryRequest
Water supply balancing accounts
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		890sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember	(2,378)sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		(12)sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember	(394)sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember
Refunds (Collections)		(53)sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember
Ending Balance		825sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember	(2,772)sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember
Pension balancing account
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,412sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember	9,734sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		(606)sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember	31sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember
Refunds (Collections)		(383)sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember
Ending Balance		423sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember	9,765sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember
Balancing and memorandum accounts, net
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		44,400sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		1,876sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember
Refunds (Collections)		(2,759)sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember
Ending Balance		43,517sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember
Other, net
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,736sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember	2,229sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		(114)sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember	(244)sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember
Refunds (Collections)		(29)sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember	0sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember
Ending Balance		$ 1,593sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember	$ 1,985sjw_BalancingAccountNet / us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis = sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember

X

- Definition

Authorized Regulatory Surcharge, Gross

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_AuthorizedRegulatorySurchargeGross
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

This represents the under-collection or over-collection associated with expense changes and the revenue authorized by the CPUC to offset those expense changes. Pursuant to Section 792.5 of the California Public Utilities Code, a balancing account must be maintained for expense items for which revenue offsets have been authorized. Since the amounts in the balancing accounts must be approved by the CPUC before they can be incorporated into rates, the Company does not recognize balancing accounts in its revenue until CPUC approval occurs. It is typical for the CPUC to incorporate any over-collected and/or under-collected balances in balancing accounts into customer rates at the time rate decisions are made as part of the Company’s general rate case proceedings by assessing temporary surcredits and/or surcharges.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Balancing Account, Refunds (Collections)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_BalancingAccountRefundsCollections
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Balancing Account, Revenue Increase (Reduction)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_BalancingAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	sjw_BalancingAccountsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Balancing and Memorandum Account, Net

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Balancing and Memorandum Account, Refunds (Collections)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRefundsCollections
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Balancing and Memorandum Account, Revenue Increase (Reduction), Net

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRevenueIncreaseReductionNet
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	sjw_BalancingandMemorandumAccountRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

This represents the memorandum accounts that track under-collection or over-collection for approved activities as directed by the CPUC. Rate recovery for these memorandum accounts is generally allowed in the next general rate cases.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

A request to the regulatory authority for authorization to refund over (under) collected amounts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Memorandum Account, Refunds (Collections)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_MemorandumAccountRefundsCollections
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Memorandum Account, Revenue Increase (Reduction)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sjw_MemorandumAccountRevenueIncreaseReduction
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	sjw_MemorandumAccountsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	sjw_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Regulatory Balancing and Memorandum Accounts,, Net Under-Collected

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis=sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis=sjw_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis=sjw_PensionBalancingAccountMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis=sjw_WaterSupplyBalancingAccountsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: