Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

Nature of Operations: American States Water Company (“AWR”) is the parent company of Golden State Water Company (“GSWC”) and American States Utility Services, Inc. (“ASUS”) (and its subsidiaries, Fort Bliss Water Services Company (“FBWS”), Terrapin Utility Services, Inc. (“TUS”), Old Dominion Utility Services, Inc. (“ODUS”), Palmetto State Utility Services, Inc. (“PSUS”) and Old North Utility Services, Inc. (“ONUS”)).  The subsidiaries of ASUS may be collectively referred to herein as the “Military Utility Privatization Subsidiaries.”

GSWC is a public utility engaged principally in the purchase, production, distribution and sale of water in California serving approximately 256,000 customers. GSWC also distributes electricity in several San Bernardino County mountain communities in California serving approximately 23,000 customers through its Bear Valley Electric Service (“BVES”) division. The California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) regulates GSWC’s water and electric businesses, including properties, rates, services, facilities and other matters, and transactions by GSWC with its affiliates.  AWR’s assets and operating income are primarily those of GSWC.

ASUS performs water and wastewater services, including the operation, maintenance, renewal and replacement of water and/or wastewater systems on a contract basis. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, ASUS operates and maintains the water and/or wastewater systems at various military bases pursuant to 50-year firm, fixed-price contracts, which are subject to periodic price redeterminations and modifications for changes in circumstances, and changes in laws and regulations. There is no direct regulatory oversight by the CPUC over AWR or the operation, rates or services provided by ASUS or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are being presented in a combined report being filed by two separate Registrants: AWR and GSWC. References in this report to “Registrant” are to AWR and GSWC, collectively, unless otherwise specified.  Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 financial statement presentation.

The consolidated financial statements of AWR include the accounts of AWR and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. These financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated in the AWR consolidated financial statements.

On May 20, 2013, AWR's Board of Directors approved a two-for-one stock split of the Company's common shares.   In September 2013, shareholders of record received one additional share for each AWR common share they owned. This two-for-one stock split has been retroactively applied to these financial statements, resulting in an increase in the number of shares outstanding for all periods presented.

The consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by Registrant, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  The December 31, 2012 condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal, recurring items and estimates necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods, have been made. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the SEC.

GSWC's Related Party Transactions

GSWC's Related Party Transactions: In May 2013, AWR issued an interest bearing promissory note (the "Note") to GSWC for $20.0 million which expires on May 23, 2018. Under the terms of the Note, AWR may borrow from GSWC amounts up to $20.0 million for working capital purposes. AWR agrees to pay any unpaid principal amounts outstanding under the Note, plus accrued interest. As of September 30, 2013, AWR has $3.8 million outstanding to GSWC under this Note, which GSWC has reflected as a current note receivable on its September 30, 2013 balance sheet. This Note is expected to be repaid by AWR within one year.

GSWC and ASUS provide and receive various services to and from their parent, AWR, and among themselves. In addition, AWR has a $100.0 million syndicated credit facility. AWR borrows under this facility and provides funds to its subsidiaries, including GSWC, in support of their operations.  The interest rate charged to GSWC and ASUS is sufficient to cover AWR’s interest cost under the credit facility. GSWC also allocates certain corporate office administrative and general costs to its affiliate, ASUS, using allocation factors approved by the CPUC.  Amounts owed to GSWC by its parent, AWR, or for allocated expenses are included in inter-company receivables as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.

Sales and Use Taxes

Sales and Use Taxes:  GSWC bills certain sales and use taxes levied by state or local governments to its customers. Included in these sales and use taxes are franchise fees, which GSWC pays to various municipalities (based on ordinances adopted by these municipalities) in order to use public right of way for utility purposes. GSWC bills these franchise fees to its customers based on a CPUC-authorized rate. These franchise fees, which are required to be paid regardless of GSWC’s ability to collect from the customer, are accounted for on a gross basis. GSWC’s franchise fees billed to customers and recorded as operating revenue were approximately $1.0 million and $966,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $2.8 million and $2.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. When GSWC acts as an agent, and the tax is not required to be remitted if it is not collected from the customer, the taxes are accounted for on a net basis.

Depending on the state in which the operations are conducted, ASUS and its subsidiaries are also subject to certain state non-income tax assessments generally computed on a “gross receipts” or “gross revenues” basis.  These non-income tax assessments are required to be paid regardless of whether the subsidiary is reimbursed by the U.S. government for these assessments under its 50-year contracts with the U.S. government.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting standards that have been issued by the FASB or other standards-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on Registrant’s consolidated financial statements upon adoption.