Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Note 9 – Income Taxes The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued final regulations pertaining to the deductibility of costs that qualify as repairs on tangible property. The regulations, which the Company adopted by filing a change in accounting method request with its 2014 Federal income tax return, redefine the characteristics previously used by the Company to determine tax deductibility of expenditures associated with tangible property. Under the regulations, the IRS has provided guidelines for certain industries, but not for regulated public water utilities. Consequently, the Company undertook a comprehensive study to support the adoption and integration of the new regulations into its tax policies prospectively, and to also determine the level of deductibility for income tax purposes for expenditures incurred on projects completed in prior years where such expenditures were capitalized, but may now be considered currently deductible as repairs under the new regulations. Included in its 2014 Federal income tax return, filed in September 2015, the Company submitted support which results in a net reduction of $17.6 million in taxes due to the federal government. While the Company believes that the deduction for qualifying tangible property repair costs included in its tax return is proper, it could be challenged under an examination by the IRS. Therefore, the Company has recorded a provision of $2.3 million against refundable taxes. The Company believes that the net operating loss carry-forward resulting from adoption of the regulations (approximately $7.8 million) is more likely than not to be recovered. It is probable that any net tax benefits that resulted from adopting the study findings will be considered in determining the revenue requirement used to set base rates for the Company in a future regulatory proceeding. Consequently, adoption of the new regulations did not and will not have a significant impact on the Company's financial statements or effective tax rate. Adoption of these new regulations resulted in a $10.3 million receivable for federal income taxes ($0.5 million of which is current), a $1.5 million increase in regulatory assets for additional expenses incurred expected to be recovered from customers in the future, a $5.0 million decrease in accrued taxes for the amount of refund applied against future tax payments and a $16.8 million increase in accumulated deferred income taxes.

Note 9 – Income Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued final regulations pertaining to the deductibility of costs that qualify as repairs on tangible property. The regulations, which the Company adopted by filing a change in accounting method request with its 2014 Federal income tax return, redefine the characteristics previously used by the Company to determine tax deductibility of expenditures associated with tangible property. Under the regulations, the IRS has provided guidelines for certain industries, but not for regulated public water utilities. Consequently, the Company undertook a comprehensive study to support the adoption and integration of the new regulations into its tax policies prospectively, and to also determine the level of deductibility for income tax purposes for expenditures incurred on projects completed in prior years where such expenditures were capitalized, but may now be considered currently deductible as repairs under the new regulations. Included in its 2014 Federal income tax return, filed in September 2015, the Company submitted support which results in a net reduction of $17.6 million in taxes due to the federal government. While the Company believes that the deduction for qualifying tangible property repair costs included in its tax return is proper, it could be challenged under an examination by the IRS. Therefore, the Company has recorded a provision of $2.3 million against refundable taxes. The Company believes that the net operating loss carry-forward resulting from adoption of the regulations (approximately $7.8 million) is more likely than not to be recovered.

It is probable that any net tax benefits that resulted from adopting the study findings will be considered in determining the revenue requirement used to set base rates for the Company in a future regulatory proceeding. Consequently, adoption of the new regulations did not and will not have a significant impact on the Company's financial statements or effective tax rate. Adoption of these new regulations resulted in a $10.3 million receivable for federal income taxes ($0.5 million of which is current), a $1.5 million increase in regulatory assets for additional expenses incurred expected to be recovered from customers in the future, a $5.0 million decrease in accrued taxes for the amount of refund applied against future tax payments and a $16.8 million increase in accumulated deferred income taxes.