Consolidated Statements Of Capitalization (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Aqua America stockholders' equity:
Common stock, $.50 par value	$ 89,521us-gaap_CommonStockValue	$ 89,296us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Capital in excess of par value	763,259	758,145
Retained earnings	869,203	849,952
Treasury stock, at cost	(46,592)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue	(42,838)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue
Accumulated other comprehensive income	863	788
Total Aqua America stockholders' equity	1,676,254us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,655,343us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Noncontrolling interest	40us-gaap_MinorityInterest	40us-gaap_MinorityInterest
Total equity	1,676,294	1,655,383
Long-term debt:
Long-term debt	1,115,074us-gaap_LongTermDebt	1,115,322us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Notes payable to bank under revolving credit agreement, variable rate, due 2017	113,000us-gaap_OtherLongTermNotesPayable	72,000us-gaap_OtherLongTermNotesPayable
Total long-term debt	1,642,022	1,619,270
Current portion of long-term debt	47,042us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent	58,615us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Long-term debt, excluding current portion	1,594,980us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	1,560,655us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Total capitalization	3,271,274	3,216,038
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 0.00% To 0.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	5,587	5,653
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 1.00% To 1.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	25,681	24,871
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 2.00% To 2.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	15,641	15,578
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 3.00% To 3.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	190,271	190,875
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 4.00% To 4.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	484,084	484,168
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 5.00% To 5.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	241,991	242,102
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 6.00% To 6.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	64,949	64,944
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 7.00% To 7.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	34,261	34,424
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 8.00% To 8.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	18,809	18,907
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 9.00% To 9.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	27,800	27,800
Long-Term Debt Of Subsidiaries 10.00% To 10.99% [Member]
Long-term debt:
Debt instrument principal outstanding	6,000	6,000
Bank Note at 1.921% due 2017 [Member]
Long-term debt:
Unsecured notes payable	50,000	50,000
Notes at 3.57% due 2027 [Member]
Long-term debt:
Unsecured notes payable	50,000	50,000
Notes Ranging From 4.62% To 4.87%, due 2016 through 2024 [Member]
Long-term debt:
Unsecured notes payable	144,400	144,400
Notes Ranging From 5.20% To 5.95%, due 2016 through 2037 [Member]
Long-term debt:
Unsecured notes payable	$ 169,548	$ 187,548

Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

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