Schedule of Line of Credit Facility Sub-Limits and Available Capacity (Details) (Letter of Credit, American Water Capital Corp. ("AWCC"), USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Letter of Credit \| American Water Capital Corp. ("AWCC")
Short Term Debt [Line Items]
Letter of credit sublimit	$ 150,000,000	$ 150,000,000
Letter of credit available capacity	$ 112,104,000	$ 108,215,000

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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),22(b))

-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 19, 22

-Article 5

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant