2.2.0.25falsefalse11001 - Disclosure - Environmental Matterstruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2011_To_3_31_2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001410636duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0awk_EnvironmentalRemediationObligationsAbstractawkfalsenadurationEnvironmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringEnvironmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract]falsefalseEnvironmental Matters3false0us-gaap_EnvironmentalLossContingencyDisclosureTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div> Note 10: Environmental Matters The Company's water and wastewater operations are subject to federal, state, local and foreign requirements relating to environmental protection, and as such, the Company periodically becomes subject to environmental claims in the normal course of business. Environmental expenditures that relate to current operations or provide a future benefit are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Remediation costs that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations are accrued, on an undiscounted basis, when it is probable that these costs will be incurred and can be reasonably estimated. Remediation costs accrued amounted to $6,600 and $6,630 at March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. At March 31, 2011, the balance of the accrual relates to a conservation agreement entered into by a subsidiary of the Company with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") requiring the Company to, among other provisions, implement certain measures to protect the steelhead trout and its habitat in the Carmel River watershed in the state of California. The Company has agreed to pay $1,100 annually from 2010 to 2016, or until the regional desalination project comes on line, whichever is earlier. The Company pursues recovery of incurred costs through all appropriate means, including regulatory recovery through customer rates. The Company's regulatory assets at March 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 include $10,384 and $10,642, respectively, related to the NOAA agreement. </div>Note 10: Environmental Matters The Company's water and wastewater operations are subject to federal, state, local and foreign requirements relating tofalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDisclosures of environmental loss contingencies, such as presence of hazardous waste, relevant information from reports issued by regulators, and estimated costs to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements. This element may be used for all of an entity's disclosures about environmental loss contingencies. This element may be used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire inventory disclosure including data and tables.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 96-1 -Paragraph 152, 163, 172 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section Y falsefalseEnvironmental Matters12Environmental MattersUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue