| **Schedule 1 - Condensed Parent Company Financial Statements (Short-Term Borrowing Activity) (Details) (Aqua America, Inc. [Member], USD $)In Thousands, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                    |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| Aqua America, Inc. [Member]                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                               |   |
| **Short-term Debt [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                               |   |
| Balance outstanding at December 31,                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                          |    |
| Interest rate at December 31,                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                          |    |
| Average borrowings outstanding                                                                                                                                                        | 583us-gaap_ShorttermDebtAverageOutstandingAmount/ dei_LegalEntityAxis= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember                 |    |
| Weighted-average interest rate                                                                                                                                                        | 0.78%us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate/ dei_LegalEntityAxis= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember            |    |
| Maximum amount outstanding                                                                                                                                                            | $ 7,000us-gaap_ShorttermDebtMaximumAmountOutstandingDuringPeriod/ dei_LegalEntityAxis= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |    |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19 -Subparagraph a -Article 5Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),16(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph a(1) -Article 7Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph 2, 3 -Article 9
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
For the form of debt having an initial term of less than one year or less than the normal operating cycle, if longer, average borrowings during the period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShorttermDebtAverageOutstandingAmount**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShortTermDebtLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
For the form of debt having an initial term of less than one year or less than the normal operating cycle, if longer, the maximum amount borrowed at any time during the period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShorttermDebtMaximumAmountOutstandingDuringPeriod**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The portion of the carrying amount of short-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date which accrues interest at a set, unchanging rate.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShortTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Weighted average interest rate of short-term debt outstanding.
+ 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 210.5-02.19(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19 -Subparagraph b -Article 5
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |