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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Balancing and Memorandum Accounts) (Details) - USD ($) |  | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Jan. 01, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | $ 25,549,000 | $ 25,549,000 | $ 21,705,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | (4,984,000) | 3,827,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (22,505,000) | 17,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 |
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | (1,940,000) | 25,549,000 | $ 21,705,000
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Beginning Balance | 8,864,000 | 8,864,000 | 6,220,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 962,000 | 2,643,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (2,603,000) | 1,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 7,223,000 | 8,864,000 | 6,220,000
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account, Beginning Balance | 34,413,000 | 34,413,000 | 27,925,000 | 25,909,000
Balancing and Memorandum Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | (4,022,000) | 6,470,000 | 22,187,000
Balancing and Memorandum Account, Refunds (Collections), Net |  | (25,108,000) | 18,000 | (21,206,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 1,035,000
Balancing and Memorandum Account, Ending Balance |  | 5,283,000 | 34,413,000 | 27,925,000
Regulatory Balancing and Memorandum Accounts, Net Under-Collected |  | $ 1,428,000 |  |
Regulatory Balancing and Memorandum Accounts Review, Authorized Revenue, Threshold Percentage |  | 2.00% |  |
2017 WCMA [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  |  | 1,182 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  |  | 0 |
2014-2017 WCMA [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | 7,750,000 | $ 7,750,000 | 6,680,000 | 1,589,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 0 | 1,066,000 | 17,288,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (7,042,000) | 4,000 | (4,704,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  |  |  | (7,493,000)
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 708,000 | 7,750,000 | 6,680,000
2017 WCMA Reserve Recorded [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | 0 | 0 |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  |  | 1,169 |
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  |  | 0 |
2018 WCMA [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | 9,386,000 | 9,386,000 | 0 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | (9,386,000) | 9,386,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | 0 | 0 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 |  |
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 0 | 9,386,000 | 0
2012 General Rate Case True-up [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | 11,328,000 | 11,328,000 | 11,319,000 | 20,682,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 96,000 | 0 | 0
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (10,672,000) | 9,000 | (9,363,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 752,000 | 11,328,000 | 11,319,000
Cost of capital [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | (1,523,000) | (1,523,000) | (144,000) | (817,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | (30,000) | (1,379,000) | 0
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | 0 | 0 | 673,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | (1,553,000) | (1,523,000) | (144,000)
Tax memorandum [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | (6,504,000) | (6,504,000) | 0 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | (139,000) | (6,504,000) |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | 0 | 0 |
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 |
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | (6,643,000) | (6,504,000) | 0
Water supply balancing accounts [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Beginning Balance | 9,617,000 | 9,617,000 | 8,679,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 207,000 | 939,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (5,496,000) | (1,000) |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 4,328,000 | 9,617,000 | 8,679,000
Pension Balancing Account [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Beginning Balance | (1,843,000) | (1,843,000) | (2,459,000) |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 745,000 | 614,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | 3,547,000 | 2,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 2,449,000 | (1,843,000) | (2,459,000)
Other Regulatory Assets [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance | 5,112,000 | 5,112,000 | 3,850,000 | 8,962,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 4,475,000 | 1,258,000 | 1,084,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (4,791,000) | 4,000 | (6,271,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 | 0 | 75,000
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  | 4,796,000 | 5,112,000 | 3,850,000
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Beginning Balance | 1,090,000 | 1,090,000 | 0 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Increase (Decrease) |  | 10,000 | 1,090,000 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Refunds (Collections) |  | (654,000) | 0 |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Surcharge Offset |  | 0 |  |
Cost-recovery Accounts, Ending Balance |  | $ 446,000 | 1,090,000 | 0
Drought Surcharges [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance |  |  | 0 | (7,688,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  |  |  | 0
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  |  |  | (765,000)
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Surcharge Offset |  |  |  | 8,453,000
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  |  |  | 0
Cost-Recovery Accounts [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Revenue Accounts, Beginning Balance |  |  | $ 6,220,000 | 3,181,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Increase (Decrease) |  |  |  | 3,815,000
Balancing and Memorandum Revenue Account, Refunds (Collections) |  |  |  | (776,000)
Revenue Accounts, Ending Balance |  |  |  | $ 6,220,000
San Jose Water Company [Member] | Advice Letter No. 528/528A [Member] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Cost Recovery Account, Refunds (Collections) | 27,045,000 |  |  |
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Public Utilities, Approved Rate Increase (Decrease), Amount | $ 16,378,000 |  |  |

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