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Long-Term Debt Narrative (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	$ 4,257,000		$ 3,638,000
Long-term debt	437,717,000		384,316,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	19,001,000		0	$ 0
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair value of long-term debt	502,446,000		500,035,000
Senior Notes [Member]
Long-term debt	315,000,000		315,000,000
San Jose Water Company [Member] | Public Utility, Bonds [Member] | California Pollution Control Financing Authority Revenue Bonds Two [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 70,000,000		0
Stated interest rates	4.75%
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 19,001,000
San Jose Water Company [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Ratio of indebtedness to total capital	0.6666
Ratio of net income available for interest charges for the trailing 12-month calendar period to interest charges	1.75
San Jose Water Company [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Series A [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 20,000,000		20,000,000
Stated interest rates	8.58%
San Jose Water Company [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Series L [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 50,000,000		50,000,000
Stated interest rates	5.14%
SJWTX,Inc. dba Canyon Lake Water Supply Corporation [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Series A [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 15,000,000		15,000,000
Stated interest rates	6.27%
Ratio of indebtedness to total capital	0.6666
Ratio of net income available for interest charges for the trailing 12-month calendar period to interest charges	1.75
SJW Group [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Series A [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 50,000,000		50,000,000
Stated interest rates	4.35%
Ratio of indebtedness to total capital	0.6666
Minimum net worth required for compliance	$ 175,000,000
Cumulative net income, percentage included in net worth for compliance	30.00%
SJW Group [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Series A [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]
Ratio of indebtedness to total capital	0.6666
Minimum net worth required for compliance	$ 125,000,000
SJW Group [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Series A [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Cumulative net income, percentage included in net worth for compliance	30.00%
Other Assets [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense		$ 3,561,000	3,638,000
Long-term Debt [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense		$ (3,561,000)	$ (3,638,000)
Standby Letters of Credit [Member] | San Jose Water Company [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Standby letters of credit	$ 3,000,000

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