Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings	Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings SJW Corp.'s contractual obligations and commitments include senior notes, mortgages and other obligations. San Jose Water Company, a subsidiary of SJW Corp., has received advance deposit payments from its customers on certain construction projects. Refunds of the advance deposit payments constitute an obligation of San Jose Water Company solely. In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ASU 2015-03, “Interest — Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs” which became effective for SJW Corp. during the first quarter of 2016. ASU 2015-03 changes the presentation of debt issuance costs for term debt in the balance sheet by requiring the debt issuance costs to be presented as a direct deduction from the related debt liability, rather than recorded as an asset. In August 2015, ASU 2015-15, “Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements,” was issued to provide clarification to ASU 2015-03. The standard specifies that the SEC would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. This standard required application on a retrospective basis. Upon adoption of the standard, SJW Corp. reclassified the presentation of debt issuance costs totaling $3,561 and $3,638 which was originally included in unamortized debt issuance, broker and reacquisition costs against its long-term debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. There was no impact from adopting the standard on SJW Corp.'s Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Changes in Shareholders' Equity, and Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and year ended December 31, 2015.

Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings

SJW Corp.'s contractual obligations and commitments include senior notes, mortgages and other obligations. San Jose Water Company, a subsidiary of SJW Corp., has received advance deposit payments from its customers on certain construction projects. Refunds of the advance deposit payments constitute an obligation of San Jose Water Company solely.

In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ASU 2015-03, “Interest — Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs” which became effective for SJW Corp. during the first quarter of 2016. ASU 2015-03 changes the presentation of debt issuance costs for term debt in the balance sheet by requiring the debt issuance costs to be presented as a direct deduction from the related debt liability, rather than recorded as an asset. In August 2015, ASU 2015-15, “Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements,” was issued to provide clarification to ASU 2015-03. The standard specifies that the SEC would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. This standard required application on a retrospective basis. Upon adoption of the standard, SJW Corp. reclassified the presentation of debt issuance costs totaling $3,561 and $3,638 which was originally included in unamortized debt issuance, broker and reacquisition costs against its long-term debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. There was no impact from adopting the standard on SJW Corp.'s Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Changes in Shareholders' Equity, and Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and year ended December 31, 2015.