Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments	Note 1 – Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments Middlesex Water Company (Middlesex or the Company) is the parent company and sole shareholder of Tidewater Utilities, Inc. (Tidewater), Tidewater Environmental Services, Inc. (TESI), Pinelands Water Company (Pinelands Water) and Pinelands Wastewater Company (Pinelands Wastewater) (collectively, Pinelands), Utility Service Affiliates, Inc. (USA), Utility Service Affiliates (Perth Amboy) Inc. (USA-PA), and Twin Lakes Utilities, Inc. (Twin Lakes). Southern Shores Water Company, LLC (Southern Shores) and White Marsh Environmental Systems, Inc. (White Marsh) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tidewater. The financial statements for Middlesex and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (the Company) are reported on a consolidated basis. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated notes within the 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K (2018 Form 10-K) are applicable to these financial statements and, in the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary (including normal recurring accruals) to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2019 and the results of operations and cash flows for the three month and nine month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. Information included in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2018, has been derived from the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in the 2018 Form 10-K. Recent Developments Tidewater to Acquire Water Systems - On October 8, 2019, the Delaware Public Service Commission (DEPSC) approved Tidewater’s request to purchase the water utility assets of J.H. Wilkerson and Son, Inc. and transfer the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity in order for Tidewater to serve the approximate 1,000 customers currently connected to eight community water systems located mostly in eastern Sussex County, Delaware. The DEPSC also authorized Tidewater to maintain the existing rates that these customers currently pay. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019. Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance Leases - On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance related to leases which required lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset. The Company elected the optional transition method of adoption option to apply the requirements of the standard in the period of adoption with no restatement of prior periods. The Company utilized the package of transition practical expedients provided by the new guidance, including carrying forward prior conclusions related to contracts that contain leases and lease classification. The Company also utilized the transition practical expedient permitting entities to forgo the evaluation of existing land easement arrangements to determine if they contain a lease. Land easement arrangements, or modifications to existing arrangements, entered into after adoption of this guidance will need to be evaluated to determine if they meet the definition of a lease. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the recording of a $6.7 million right-of-use asset, a $7.1 million lease liability and a $0.4 million regulatory asset on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019. For further discussion, see “Leases” in Note 7 – Commitments and Contingent Liabilities. There are no other new adopted or proposed accounting guidance that the Company is aware of that could have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments

Note 1 – Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments

Middlesex Water Company (Middlesex or the Company) is the parent company and sole shareholder of Tidewater Utilities, Inc. (Tidewater), Tidewater Environmental Services, Inc. (TESI), Pinelands Water Company (Pinelands Water) and Pinelands Wastewater Company (Pinelands Wastewater) (collectively, Pinelands), Utility Service Affiliates, Inc. (USA), Utility Service Affiliates (Perth Amboy) Inc. (USA-PA), and Twin Lakes Utilities, Inc. (Twin Lakes). Southern Shores Water Company, LLC (Southern Shores) and White Marsh Environmental Systems, Inc. (White Marsh) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tidewater. The financial statements for Middlesex and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (the Company) are reported on a consolidated basis. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The consolidated notes within the 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K (2018 Form 10-K) are applicable to these financial statements and, in the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary (including normal recurring accruals) to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2019 and the results of operations and cash flows for the three month and nine month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. Information included in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2018, has been derived from the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in the 2018 Form 10-K.

Recent Developments

Tidewater to Acquire Water Systems - On October 8, 2019, the Delaware Public Service Commission (DEPSC) approved Tidewater’s request to purchase the water utility assets of J.H. Wilkerson and Son, Inc. and transfer the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity in order for Tidewater to serve the approximate 1,000 customers currently connected to eight community water systems located mostly in eastern Sussex County, Delaware. The DEPSC also authorized Tidewater to maintain the existing rates that these customers currently pay. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

Leases - On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance related to leases which required lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset. The Company elected the optional transition method of adoption option to apply the requirements of the standard in the period of adoption with no restatement of prior periods. The Company utilized the package of transition practical expedients provided by the new guidance, including carrying forward prior conclusions related to contracts that contain leases and lease classification. The Company also utilized the transition practical expedient permitting entities to forgo the evaluation of existing land easement arrangements to determine if they contain a lease. Land easement arrangements, or modifications to existing arrangements, entered into after adoption of this guidance will need to be evaluated to determine if they meet the definition of a lease. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the recording of a $6.7 million right-of-use asset, a $7.1 million lease liability and a $0.4 million regulatory asset on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019. For further discussion, see “Leases” in Note 7 – Commitments and Contingent Liabilities.

There are no other new adopted or proposed accounting guidance that the Company is aware of that could have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.