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REVENUE RECOGNITION | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
REVENUE RECOGNITION [Abstract] |
REVENUE RECOGNITION | NOTE 2 REVENUE RECOGNITION Background On January 1, 2018 the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification 606, or ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, using the modified retrospective approach. The Company identified its sources of revenue streams that fall within the scope of this guidance and applied the five-step model to all qualifying revenue streams to determine when to recognize revenue. The Company concluded there is not a material change to how revenue was recognized before and after the adoption of ASC 606; therefore, no cumulative retained earnings adjustment was required. Artesian’s operating revenues are primarily attributable to contract services based upon tariff rates approved by the DEPSC, the MDPSC and the PAPUC. Tariff contract service revenues consist of water consumption, fixed fees for water and wastewater services including customer and fire protection fees, service charges and Distribution System Improvement Charges, or DSIC, billed to customers at rates outlined in our tariffs that represent stand-alone selling prices. Our non-tariff contract revenues consist of SLP Plan fees, water and wastewater contract operations, and wastewater inspection fees. Other operating revenue primarily consists of developer guarantee contributions for wastewater and rental income for antenna contracts. Tariff Contract Revenues Artesian generates revenue from the sale of water to customers in Delaware, Cecil County, Maryland, and Southern Chester County, Pennsylvania once a customer requests service in our territory. We recognize water consumption revenue at tariff rates on a cycle basis for the volume of water transferred to customers based upon meter readings for actual gallons of water consumed as well as unbilled amounts for estimated usage from the date of the last meter reading to the end of the accounting period. As actual usage amounts are known based on recurring meter readings, adjustments are made to the unbilled estimates in the next billing cycle based on the actual results. Estimates are made on an individual customer basis, based on one of three methods: the previous year’s consumption in the same period, the previous billing period’s consumption, or averaging. While actual usage for individual customers may differ materially from the estimate based on management judgements described above, we believe the overall total estimate of consumption and revenue for the fiscal period will not differ materially from actual billed consumption. The majority of our water customers are billed for water consumed on a monthly basis, while the remaining customers are billed on a quarterly basis. As a result, we record unbilled operating revenue (contract asset) for any estimated usage through the end of the accounting period that will be billed in the next monthly or quarterly billing cycle. Artesian generates fixed fee revenue for water and wastewater services provided to customers once a customer requests service in our territory. Our wastewater territory is located in Sussex County, Delaware. We recognize revenue from these services on a ratable basis over time as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes all the benefits of the Company remaining ready to provide them water and wastewater service. These contract services are billed in advance at tariff rates on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. As a result, we record deferred revenue (contract liability) and accounts receivable for any amounts for which we have a right to invoice but for which services have not been provided. This deferred revenue is netted with unbilled operating revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Artesian generates service charges primarily from non-payment fees, such as water shut off and reconnection fees and finance charges. These fees are billed and recognized as revenue at the point in time when our tariffs indicate the Company has the right to payment such as days past due have been reached or shut-offs and reconnections have been performed. There is no contract asset or liability associated with these fees. Artesian generates revenue from DSICs, which are surcharges applied to water customer tariff rates in Delaware related to specific types of water distribution system improvements. This rate is calculated on a semi-annual basis based on an approved projected revenue requirement over the following six-month period. This rate is adjusted up or down at the next DSIC filing to account for any differences between actual earned revenue and the projected revenue requirement. Since DSIC revenue is a surcharge applied to tariff rates, we recognize DSIC revenue based on the same guidelines as noted above depending on whether the surcharge was applied to consumption revenue or fixed fee revenue. The DEPSC required Delaware utilities to determine the impact that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or TCJA, had on its customers and potential rate relief due to customers. The reduction in corporate income tax expense resulting from the TCJA will be passed through to customers in the form of reduced tariff rates as approved by the DEPSC on January 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2018, approximately $3.3 million is being held in reserve (refund liability) and is not reflected in income. This amount is required to be refunded to customers during the second quarter of 2019. Accounts receivable related to tariff contract revenues are typically due within 25 days of invoicing. An allowance for doubtful accounts is calculated as a percentage of total associated revenues. We mitigate our exposure to credit losses by discontinuing services in the event of non-payment; accordingly, the related allowance for doubtful accounts and associated bad debt expense has not been significant. Non-tariff Contract Revenues Artesian generates SLP Plan revenue once a customer requests service to cover all parts, materials and labor required to repair or replace leaking water service lines, leaking or clogged sewer lines, or water and wastewater lines within the customers’ residences, up to an annual limit. We recognize revenue from these services on a ratable basis over time as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes all the benefits of having service line protection services. These contract services are billed in advance on a monthly or quarterly basis. As a result, we record deferred revenue (contract liability) and accounts receivable for any amounts for which we have a right to invoice but for which services have not been provided. Accounts receivable from SLP Plan customers are typically due within 25 days of invoicing. An allowance for doubtful accounts is calculated as a percentage of total SLP Plan contract revenue. We mitigate our exposure to credit losses by discontinuing services in the event of non-payment; accordingly, the related allowance for doubtful accounts and associated bad debt expense has not been significant. Artesian generates contract operation revenue from water and wastewater operation services provided to customers. We recognize revenue from these operation contracts, which consist primarily of monthly operation and maintenance services over time as customers receive and consume the benefits of such services performed. These services are invoiced in advance at the beginning of every month and are typically due within 30 days, and therefore there is no contract asset or liability associated with these revenues. An allowance for doubtful accounts is provided based on a periodic analysis of individual account balances, including an evaluation of days outstanding, payment history, recent payment trends, and our assessment of our customers’ creditworthiness. The related allowance for doubtful accounts and associated bad debt expense has not been significant. Artesian generates inspection fee revenue for inspection services related to onsite wastewater collection systems installed by developers of new communities. These fees are paid by developers in advance when a service is requested for a new phase of a development. Inspection fee revenue is recognized on a per lot basis once the inspection of the infrastructure that serves each lot is completed. As a result, we record deferred revenue (contract liability) for any amounts related to infrastructure not yet inspected. There are no accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts or bad debt expense associated with inspection fee contracts. Sales Tax The majority of Artesian’s revenues are earned within the State of Delaware, where there is no sales tax. Revenue earned in the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are related primarily to the sale of water by a public water utility and are exempt from sales tax. Therefore, no sales tax is collected on revenues. Disaggregated Revenues The following table shows the Company’s revenues disaggregated by service type; all revenues are generated within a similar geographical location:
|  | For the Year |
|  | Ended December 31, |
(in thousands) |  | 2018 |  |  | 2017 |
Tariff Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |
Consumption charges |  | $ | 47,903 |  |  | $ | 46,669 |
Fixed fees |  |  | 25,401 |  |  |  | 24,998 |
Service charges |  |  | 717 |  |  |  | 921 |
DSIC |  |  | 2,797 |  |  |  | 3,160 |
Revenue reserved for refund – TCJA impact |  |  | (3,234 | ) |  |  | — |
Total Tariff Revenue |  | $ | 73,584 |  |  | $ | 75,748 |
Non-Tariff Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Service line protection plans |  | $ | 3,992 |  |  | $ | 3,858 |
Contract operations |  |  | 1,352 |  |  |  | 1,315 |
Inspection fees |  |  | 211 |  |  |  | 170 |
Total Non-Tariff Revenue |  | $ | 5,555 |  |  | $ | 5,343 |
Other Operating Revenue not in scope of ASC 606 |  | $ | 1,272 |  |  | $ | 1,144 |
Total Operating Revenue |  | $ | 80,411 |  |  | $ | 82,235 |
Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities Our contract assets and liabilities consist of the following:
(in thousands) |  | December 31, 2018 |  |  | December 31, 2017 |
Accounts Receivable |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts Receivable–Tariff |  | $ | 5,751 |  |  | $ | 5,631 |
Accounts Receivable–Non-Tariff |  |  | 320 |  |  |  | 403 |
Total Accounts Receivable |  | $ | 6,071 |  |  | $ | 6,034 |
Contract Assets – Tariff |  | $ | 2,367 |  |  | $ | 2,397 |
Deferred Revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred Revenue – Tariff |  | $ | 1,025 |  |  | $ | 1,053 |
Deferred Revenue – Non-Tariff |  |  | 227 |  |  |  | 203 |
Total Deferred Revenue |  | $ | 1,252 |  |  | $ | 1,256 |
Refund Liability – Tariff |  | $ | 3,298 |  |  | $ | — |
For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized revenue of $1.1 million from amounts that were included in Deferred Revenue – Tariff at the beginning of the year and revenue of $183,000 from amounts that were included in Deferred Revenue – Non-Tariff at the beginning of the year. The increases (decreases) of Accounts Receivable, Contract Assets and Deferred Revenue were primarily due to normal timing differences between our performance and customer payments. The increase in the Refund Liability is based on the calculated amount approved by the DEPSC on January 31, 2019 related to the TCJA. This amount is required to be refunded to customers during the second quarter of 2019. Remaining Performance Obligations As of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, Deferred Revenue – Tariff is recorded net of contract assets within Unbilled operating revenues and represents our remaining performance obligations for our fixed fee water and wastewater services, all of which are expected to be satisfied and associated revenue recognized in the next three months. As of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, Deferred Revenue – Non-Tariff is recorded within Other current liabilities and represents our remaining performance obligations for our SLP Plan services and wastewater inspections, which are expected to be satisfied and associated revenue recognized within the next three months and one year for the SLP Plan revenue and inspection fee revenue, respectively.

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- Definition The entire disclosure of revenue from contract with customer to transfer good or service and to transfer nonfinancial asset. Includes, but is not limited to, disaggregation of revenue, credit loss recognized from contract with customer, judgment and change in judgment related to contract with customer, and asset recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill contract with customer. Excludes insurance and lease contracts. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 606 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=49130388 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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