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Accounting policies (Details Textual) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2007 gal
Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax | $ (111,409)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax | $ (197,396)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax | $ 68,355 us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax |
Cash Deposits In Excess Of Federally Insured Limits | 527,000 cwco_CashDepositsInExcessOfFederallyInsuredLimits |  |  |
Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Held In Foreign Bank | 36,300,000 cwco_CashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsHeldInForeignBank |  |  |
Goodwill, Impairment Loss |  |  | 88,717 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss |
Amount Of Water Lost (in gallons) |  |  |  | 438,000,000 cwco_AmountOfWaterLost
Accumulated Amortization of Other Deferred Costs | 1,500,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationOfOtherDeferredCosts | 1,300,000 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationOfOtherDeferredCosts |  |
Equity Method Investment, Additional Information | The Company uses the equity method of accounting for investments in common stock where the Company holds 20% to 50% of the voting stock of the investee and has significant influence over its operating and financial policies but does not meet the criteria for consolidation. |  |  |
Criteria For Recognizing Investment At Cost | Investments where the Company does not exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the investee and holds less than 20% of the voting stock are recorded at cost. |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value Percentage Of Services Unit | The fair value the Company estimated for its services unit for the year ended December 31, 2012 was 10% less than its carrying amount. |  |  |
Reconciliation Percentage of Implied Control Premium | 1.00%cwco_ReconciliationPercentageOfImpliedControlPremium |  |  |
Asset Impairment Charges | 0 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | 0 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | 521,444 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Member] |  |  |  |
Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset Impairment Charges |  |  | 432,727 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember |
Retail [Member] |  |  |  |
Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value Carrying Amount Exceeded Percentage | 36.00%cwco_EstimatedFairValuEcarryingAmountExceededPercentage / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_RetailMember | 47.00%cwco_EstimatedFairValuEcarryingAmountExceededPercentage / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_RetailMember | 39.00%cwco_EstimatedFairValuEcarryingAmountExceededPercentage / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_RetailMember |
Asset Impairment Charges |  |  | 0 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_RetailMember |
Bulk [Member] |  |  |  |
Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value Carrying Amount Exceeded Percentage | 29.00%cwco_EstimatedFairValuEcarryingAmountExceededPercentage / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_BulkMember | 23.00%cwco_EstimatedFairValuEcarryingAmountExceededPercentage / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_BulkMember | 6.00%cwco_EstimatedFairValuEcarryingAmountExceededPercentage / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_BulkMember |
Asset Impairment Charges |  |  | 432,727 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_BulkMember |
Services [Member] |  |  |  |
Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Asset Impairment Charges |  |  | 88,717 us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_ServicesMember |
Capitalized Engineering Labor and Materials Cost [Member] |  |  |  |
Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Other Assets | $ 3,500,000 us-gaap_OtherAssets / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_CapitalizedEngineeringLaborAndMaterialsCostMember | $ 3,500,000 us-gaap_OtherAssets / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = cwco_CapitalizedEngineeringLaborAndMaterialsCostMember |  |

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- Definition Accumulated amortization of other deferred costs capitalized at the end of the reporting period. Does not include deferred finance costs, deferred acquisition costs of insurance companies, or deferred leasing costs for real estate operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 17 -Article 5 + Details
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