Intangible Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Intangible Assets [Abstract]

Intangible Assets Disclosure [Text Block]

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consist of a concession fee paid to the City of Cupertino of $6,800 for operating the City of Cupertino municipal water system and other intangibles of $7,932. Other intangibles consists of $6,533 which was paid for service area and water rights related to our subsidiaries in Texas, $1,040 incurred in conjunction with Santa Clara Valley Water District water contracts related to the operation of San Jose Water Company and $359 in other miscellaneous intangibles. All intangible assets are recorded at cost and are amortized using the straight-line method over the legal or estimated economic life of the asset ranging from 5 to 70 years.

Amortization expense for the intangible assets was $340 for the year ended December 31, 2011, $335 for the year ended December 31, 2010 and $311 for the year ended December 31, 2009. Amortization expense for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 is anticipated to be $340 per year.

The costs of intangible assets as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

	2011		2010
Concession fees	$	6,800	6,800
Other intangibles	7,932		6,738
Intangible assets	14,732		13,538
Less: Accumulated amortization
Concession fees	3,876		3,604
Other intangibles	643		575
Net intangible assets	$	10,213	9,359