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Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands |  | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 28, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2015
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | $ 7,971 | $ (229) | $ 8,910 | $ (1,377)
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 6,787 | 301 | 14,364 | 1,122
Refunds (Collections) |  | (2,751) | 150 | (4,506) | 477
Surcharge Offset |  | (5,863) | 0 | (12,624) | 0
Ending Balance |  | 6,144 | 222 | 6,144 | 222
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 38,013 | 42,950 | 36,296 | 48,437
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 2,594 | 1,834 | 11,639 | 3,380
Refunds (Collections) |  | (16,647) | (10,425) | (30,736) | (17,458)
Surcharge Offset |  | 5,863 | 0 | 12,624 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 29,823 | 34,359 | 29,823 | 34,359
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 45,984 | 42,721 | 45,206 | 47,060
Revenue Increase (Reduction) |  | 9,381 | 2,135 | 26,003 | 4,502
Refunds (Collections) |  | (19,398) | (10,275) | (35,242) | (16,981)
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 35,967 | 34,581 | 35,967 | 34,581
Net under-collected balancing and memorandum accounts |  | 2,949 |  | 2,949 |
2014 WCMA |  |  |  |  |
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 1,563 | 0 | 2,944 | 0
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 164 | 0 | 11 | 0
Refunds (Collections) |  | (1,044) | 0 | (2,272) | 0
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 683 | 0 | 683 | 0
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
WCMA Reserve |  |  | 1,267 |  | 1,267
2015 WCMA |  |  |  |  |
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 4,747 | 0 | 5,372 | 0
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 528 | 0 | 431 | 0
Refunds (Collections) |  | (1,883) | 0 | (2,411) | 0
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 3,392 | 0 | 3,392 | 0
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
WCMA Reserve |  |  | 1,892 |  | 1,892
2016 WCMA |  |  |  |  |
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 5,863 | 0 | 12,624 | 0
Refunds (Collections) |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Surcharge Offset |  | (5,863) | 0 | (12,624) | 0
Ending Balance |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Water supply costs |  |  |  |  |
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 2,641 | 1,070 | 2,771 | 890
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 2,420 | 2,153 | 2,364 | 2,445
Refunds (Collections) |  | 452 | (32) | 378 | (144)
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 5,513 | 3,191 | 5,513 | 3,191
Drought surcharges |  |  |  |  |
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | (1,716) | (80) | (359) | 0
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Refunds (Collections) |  | (10,467) | (6,333) | (18,585) | (6,413)
Surcharge Offset |  | 5,863 | 0 | 12,624 | 0
Ending Balance |  | (6,320) | (6,413) | (6,320) | (6,413)
Pension |  |  |  |  |
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | (520) | 140 | (552) | 1,412
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 280 | (231) | 840 | (692)
Refunds (Collections) |  | (1,055) | (230) | (1,583) | (1,041)
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | (1,295) | (321) | (1,295) | (321)
2012 General Rate Case true-up |  |  |  |  |
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 27,740 | 40,367 | 33,070 | 44,400
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,937
Refunds (Collections) |  | (3,850) | (3,813) | (9,180) | (9,783)
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 23,890 | 36,554 | 23,890 | 36,554
2016 General Rate Case True-up [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 8,767 | 0 | 0 | 0
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 0 | 0 | 8,767 | 0
Refunds (Collections) |  | (1,204) | 0 | (1,204) | 0
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 7,563 | 0 | 7,563 | 0
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account Previously Recorded | $ 185 |  |  |  |
All others |  |  |  |  |
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 1,661 | (229) | 594 | (1,377)
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | 232 | 301 | 1,298 | 1,122
Refunds (Collections) |  | 176 | 150 | 177 | 477
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | 2,069 | 222 | 2,069 | 222
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Beginning Balance |  | 1,101 | 1,453 | 1,366 | 1,735
Revenue Increase(Reduction) |  | (106) | (88) | (332) | (310)
Refunds (Collections) |  | (523) | (17) | (562) | (77)
Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance |  | $ 472 | $ 1,348 | $ 472 | $ 1,348

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

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- Definition Balancing Account, Refunds (Collections) + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Balancing Account, Revenue Increase (Reduction) + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
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- Definition Balancing Account, Surcharge Offset + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
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- Definition Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward] + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Balancing and Memorandum Account, Net + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Balancing and Memorandum Account Previously Recorded + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition Balancing and Memorandum Account, Refunds (Collections) + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
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- Definition Balancing and Memorandum Account, Revenue Increase (Reduction), Net + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Balancing and Memorandum Account, Surcharge Offset + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
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
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
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- Definition Memorandum Account, Refunds (Collections) + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Memorandum Account, Revenue Increase (Reduction) + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Memorandum Account, Surcharge Offset + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward] + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | na
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- Definition Regulatory Balancing and Memorandum Accounts,, Net Under-Collected + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Reserve for Water Conservation Memorandum Account recognized. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | sjw_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RegulatoryAssetAxis=sjw_A2012GeneralRateCaseTrueupMember
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- Details
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