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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 03, 2020 USD ($) | Sep. 14, 2018 USD ($) | Nov. 16, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) mi² people_served service_connection communities_served | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) mi² people_served service_connection communities_served | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 06, 2019 USD ($)
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of real estate investments |  |  |  |  | $ 929,000 | $ 0 | $ 6,903,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  |  |  |  | (4,984,000) | 3,827,000 |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account, Refunds (Collections) |  |  |  |  | (25,108,000) | 18,000 | (21,206,000) |
Restricted Cash |  |  |  | $ 750,000 | $ 750,000 |  |  |
Document Period End Date |  |  |  |  | Dec. 31, 2019 |  |  |
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate Held-for-investment |  |  |  | $ 745,000 |  |  |  |
Long-term borrowings held as restricted cash |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
Acequia Water Supply Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in Acequia Water Supply Corporation |  |  |  |  | 25.00% |  |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Service area in square miles | mi² |  |  |  | 246 | 246 |  |  |
CPED Proposed Penalty, Per Offense, Per Day |  | $ 500 |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
CPED Proposed Penalty, Per Offense, Per Day |  | $ 50,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Sales [Member] | Product Concentration Risk [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of revenue derived from sales of water to business and residential customers |  |  |  |  | 91.00% |  |  |
San Jose Water Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, Service Connections | service_connection |  |  |  | 231,000 | 231,000 |  |  |
Number of people served | people_served |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000,000 |  |  |
Connecticut Water Service, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of people served | people_served |  |  |  | 480,000 | 480,000 |  |  |
Public Utilities, Number of Communities Served | communities_served |  |  |  | 80 | 80 |  |  |
444 West Santa Clara Street, L.P. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Limited partership interest percentage |  |  |  |  | 70.00% |  |  |
Maine Water Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of real estate investments |  |  |  |  | $ 180,000 |  |  |
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate Held-for-investment |  |  |  |  | 600,000 |  |  |
Long-term borrowings held as restricted cash |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |  |
SJWTX,Inc. dba Canyon Lake Water Supply Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of people served | people_served |  |  |  | 54,000 | 54,000 |  |  |
Texas Water Alliance Alliance [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from Sales of Business, Affiliate and Productive Assets |  |  | $ 31,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Purchase and Sales Agreement, Holdback Amount |  |  | 3,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets |  |  | $ 12,501,000 |  |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Member] | Maine Water Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash | $ 4,114,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Application No. 19-12-002 [Member] | San Jose Water Company [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Regulatory Rate Filings, Requested Rate Increase, Year One |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,300,000
Connecticut and Maine | Connecticut Water Service, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, Service Connections | service_connection |  |  |  | 137,000 | 137,000 |  |  |
Connecticut | Connecticut Water Service, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, Service Connections | service_connection |  |  |  | 3,000 | 3,000 |  |  |

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