Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments	Note 1 – Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments Middlesex Water Company (Middlesex or the Company) is the parent company and sole shareholder of Tidewater Utilities, Inc. (Tidewater), Tidewater Environmental Services, Inc. (TESI), Pinelands Water Company (Pinelands Water) and Pinelands Wastewater Company (Pinelands Wastewater) (collectively, Pinelands), Utility Service Affiliates, Inc. (USA), Utility Service Affiliates (Perth Amboy) Inc. (USA-PA), and Twin Lakes Utilities, Inc. (Twin Lakes). Southern Shores Water Company, LLC (Southern Shores) and White Marsh Environmental Systems, Inc. (White Marsh) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tidewater. The financial statements for Middlesex are reported on a consolidated basis. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated notes within the 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the 2012 Form 10-K) are applicable to these financial statements and, in the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary (including normal recurring accruals) to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2013, the results of operations for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 and cash flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012. Information included in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2012, has been derived from the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012 included in the 2012 Form 10-K. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year financial statements to conform with current year presentation. Tidewater Awarded Water Privatization Contract for Dover Air Force Base In September 2013, Tidewater entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Defense for the privatization of the water system of Dover Air Force Base (DAFB) in Dover, Delaware. Tidewater will provide DAFB with potable water service under a 50-year agreement. Tidewater intends to integrate the DAFB water system into its regulated utility operations, subject to Delaware Public Service Commission (DEPSC) regulatory approval. The agreement allows Tidewater up to one year to obtain all necessary DEPSC approvals and transition the DAFB water system to Tidewater. If approved by the DEPSC, this service to DAFB would initially add approximately $0.6 million of annual revenue. Middlesex and Applied Water Management, Inc. Partner to Provide Leachate Pretreatment to Monmouth County, New Jersey Landfill In September 2013, Middlesex entered into agreements with Applied Water Management, Inc. (AWM), Natural Systems Utilities, LLC (NSU), the parent company of AWM, and the County of Monmouth, New Jersey (Monmouth County) for the design, construction and operation of a leachate pretreatment facility at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. Under the terms of the agreements, AWM will obtain permits, design, build and operate the landfill leachate pretreatment facility and Middlesex will serve in the role of guarantor of AWM's performance on the project, in addition to providing operational support. Construction of the facility is being financed by Monmouth County and is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2014. See Note 7 – Commitments and Contingent Liabilities for further discussion of Middlesex’s guaranty of AWM’s performance. Middlesex Base Rate Increase Filing Middlesex expects to file an application with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) seeking permission to increase its base rates in November 2013. The filing is necessary as a result of capital investments Middlesex has made, or has planned to make, increased operations and maintenance costs, and lost revenues resulting from ending a wholesale water sales contract with the Borough of Sayreville, New Jersey in August 2013 and Hess Corporation, Middlesex’s largest retail water customer, ceasing its oil refining operations at its Port Reading, New Jersey facility in February 2013. We cannot predict whether the NJBPU will ultimately approve, deny, or reduce the amount of the request. A decision by the NJBPU is not expected until the third quarter of 2014. Tidewater Base Rate Increase Filing Tidewater expects to file an application with the DEPSC seeking permission to increase its base rates in November 2013. The request will be made as a result of capital investments Tidewater has made, or has planned to make, and increased operations and maintenance costs. We cannot predict whether the DEPSC will ultimately approve, deny, or reduce the amount of the request. A decision by the DEPSC is not expected until the second half of 2014. Recent Accounting Guidance In the third quarter of 2013, there was no new adopted or proposed accounting guidance that could have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments

Note 1 – Basis of Presentation and Recent Developments

Middlesex Water Company (Middlesex or the Company) is the parent company and sole shareholder of Tidewater Utilities, Inc. (Tidewater), Tidewater Environmental Services, Inc. (TESI), Pinelands Water Company (Pinelands Water) and Pinelands Wastewater Company (Pinelands Wastewater) (collectively, Pinelands), Utility Service Affiliates, Inc. (USA), Utility Service Affiliates (Perth Amboy) Inc. (USA-PA), and Twin Lakes Utilities, Inc. (Twin Lakes). Southern Shores Water Company, LLC (Southern Shores) and White Marsh Environmental Systems, Inc. (White Marsh) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tidewater. The financial statements for Middlesex are reported on a consolidated basis. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The consolidated notes within the 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the 2012 Form 10-K) are applicable to these financial statements and, in the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary (including normal recurring accruals) to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2013, the results of operations for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 and cash flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2013 and 2012. Information included in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2012, has been derived from the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012 included in the 2012 Form 10-K. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year financial statements to conform with current year presentation.

Tidewater Awarded Water Privatization Contract for Dover Air Force Base

In September 2013, Tidewater entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Defense for the privatization of the water system of Dover Air Force Base (DAFB) in Dover, Delaware. Tidewater will provide DAFB with potable water service under a 50-year agreement. Tidewater intends to integrate the DAFB water system into its regulated utility operations, subject to Delaware Public Service Commission (DEPSC) regulatory approval. The agreement allows Tidewater up to one year to obtain all necessary DEPSC approvals and transition the DAFB water system to Tidewater. If approved by the DEPSC, this service to DAFB would initially add approximately $0.6 million of annual revenue.

Middlesex and Applied Water Management, Inc. Partner to Provide Leachate Pretreatment to Monmouth County, New Jersey Landfill

In September 2013, Middlesex entered into agreements with Applied Water Management, Inc. (AWM), Natural Systems Utilities, LLC (NSU), the parent company of AWM, and the County of Monmouth, New Jersey (Monmouth County) for the design, construction and operation of a leachate pretreatment facility at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. Under the terms of the agreements, AWM will obtain permits, design, build and operate the landfill leachate pretreatment facility and Middlesex will serve in the role of guarantor of AWM's performance on the project, in addition to providing operational support. Construction of the facility is being financed by Monmouth County and is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2014. See Note 7 – Commitments and Contingent Liabilities for further discussion of Middlesex’s guaranty of AWM’s performance.

Middlesex Base Rate Increase Filing

Middlesex expects to file an application with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) seeking permission to increase its base rates in November 2013. The filing is necessary as a result of capital investments Middlesex has made, or has planned to make, increased operations and maintenance costs, and lost revenues resulting from ending a wholesale water sales contract with the Borough of Sayreville, New Jersey in August 2013 and Hess Corporation, Middlesex’s largest retail water customer, ceasing its oil refining operations at its Port Reading, New Jersey facility in February 2013. We cannot predict whether the NJBPU will ultimately approve, deny, or reduce the amount of the request. A decision by the NJBPU is not expected until the third quarter of 2014.

Tidewater Base Rate Increase Filing

Tidewater expects to file an application with the DEPSC seeking permission to increase its base rates in November 2013. The request will be made as a result of capital investments Tidewater has made, or has planned to make, and increased operations and maintenance costs. We cannot predict whether the DEPSC will ultimately approve, deny, or reduce the amount of the request. A decision by the DEPSC is not expected until the second half of 2014.

Recent Accounting Guidance

In the third quarter of 2013, there was no new adopted or proposed accounting guidance that could have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.