Acquisitions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions On October 1, 2014, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common stock of National Meter and Automation, Inc. (“National Meter”) of Centennial, Colorado. The purchase is estimated to add approximately $15 million of incremental annual revenues to Badger Meter, after eliminating what would be intercompany sales. National Meter was a major distributor of Badger Meter products for the municipal water utility market, serving customers in Colorado, California, Nevada, Arizona and southern Wyoming. National Meter will become a regional distribution center for Badger Meter. In addition to its primary product line of water meters and meter reading systems, National Meter provides services including meter testing, leak detection, water audits, meter and meter reading system installation and meter reading. The total purchase consideration for National Meter was $22.9 million, which included $20.3 million in cash, a small working capital adjustment and settlement of pre-existing receivables. The Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2014 included $2.5 million of deferred payments, of which $2.0 million is payable in October 2015 and early 2016 and is recorded in payables, and $0.5 million is payable in early 2017 and is recorded in other long-term liabilities. The Company’s allocation of the purchase price as of December 31, 2014 included $3.9 million of receivables, $4.5 million of inventory, $2.8 million of property, plant and equipment, $9.8 million of intangibles, $3.0 million of goodwill, and $0.1 million of current liabilities. As of December 31, 2014, the preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer relationships with an estimated average useful life of 12 years. There was approximately $0.4 million of transaction costs related to the acquisition that were included in selling, engineering and administration for 2014 in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company’s financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto. On April 1, 2013, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common stock of Aquacue, Inc. (“Aquacue”) of Los Gatos, California. The Aquacue acquisition provides the Company with intellectual property that complements and expands the Company’s advanced metering analytics offerings by adding an integrated software platform that allows utility managers to monitor and control their water systems, while providing water management data to consumers. Sales of Aquacue products and the impact on consolidated net earnings were immaterial for 2013. The purchase price was $13.8 million in cash, including a small working capital adjustment. The purchase price included a final $3.0 million payment, of which half was due January 10, 2014 and half was due October 10, 2014, and these amounts were recorded in payables on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2013. The Company’s allocation of the purchase price as of December 31, 2013 included $0.1 million of current assets, $1.3 million of deferred tax assets, $3.9 million of intangibles, $8.8 million of goodwill and $0.3 million of current liabilities. As of December 31, 2013, the Company has completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The intangible assets acquired are primarily developed technology with an estimated average useful life of 10 years. There was approximately $0.1 million of transaction costs related to the acquisition that were included in selling, engineering and administration for 2013 in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company merged Aquacue into Badger Meter, Inc. on December 31, 2013. The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company’s financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto. On January 31, 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of 100% of the outstanding common stock of Racine Federated, Inc. of Racine, Wisconsin and its subsidiary Premier Control Technologies, Ltd. (“PCT”) located in Thetford, England for approximately $57.3 million in cash, plus a small working capital adjustment. The purchase price included a final $4.6 million payment which was due and paid in 2013. Racine Federated manufactures and markets flow meters for the water industry as well as various industrial metering and specialty products. These products complement and expand the Company's existing lines for the global flow measurement business. The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company sold PCT for a nominal amount after the majority of its functions were absorbed by the Company's European subsidiary. The Company also merged Racine Federated into Badger Meter, Inc. on December 31, 2012.

Acquisitions

On October 1, 2014, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common stock of National Meter and Automation, Inc. (“National Meter”) of Centennial, Colorado. The purchase is estimated to add approximately $15 million of incremental annual revenues to Badger Meter, after eliminating what would be intercompany sales. National Meter was a major distributor of Badger Meter products for the municipal water utility market, serving customers in Colorado, California, Nevada, Arizona and southern Wyoming. National Meter will become a regional distribution center for Badger Meter. In addition to its primary product line of water meters and meter reading systems, National Meter provides services including meter testing, leak detection, water audits, meter and meter reading system installation and meter reading.

The total purchase consideration for National Meter was $22.9 million, which included $20.3 million in cash, a small working capital adjustment and settlement of pre-existing receivables. The Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2014 included $2.5 million of deferred payments, of which $2.0 million is payable in October 2015 and early 2016 and is recorded in payables, and $0.5 million is payable in early 2017 and is recorded in other long-term liabilities. The Company’s allocation of the purchase price as of December 31, 2014 included $3.9 million of receivables, $4.5 million of inventory, $2.8 million of property, plant and equipment, $9.8 million of intangibles, $3.0 million of goodwill, and $0.1 million of current liabilities. As of December 31, 2014, the preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer relationships with an estimated average useful life of 12 years. There was approximately $0.4 million of transaction costs related to the acquisition that were included in selling, engineering and administration for 2014 in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company’s financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

On April 1, 2013, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common stock of Aquacue, Inc. (“Aquacue”) of Los Gatos, California. The Aquacue acquisition provides the Company with intellectual property that complements and expands the Company’s advanced metering analytics offerings by adding an integrated software platform that allows utility managers to monitor and control their water systems, while providing water management data to consumers. Sales of Aquacue products and the impact on consolidated net earnings were immaterial for 2013.

The purchase price was $13.8 million in cash, including a small working capital adjustment. The purchase price included a final $3.0 million payment, of which half was due January 10, 2014 and half was due October 10, 2014, and these amounts were recorded in payables on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2013. The Company’s allocation of the purchase price as of December 31, 2013 included $0.1 million of current assets, $1.3 million of deferred tax assets, $3.9 million of intangibles, $8.8 million of goodwill and $0.3 million of current liabilities. As of December 31, 2013, the Company has completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The intangible assets acquired are primarily developed technology with an estimated average useful life of 10 years. There was approximately $0.1 million of transaction costs related to the acquisition that were included in selling, engineering and administration for 2013 in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company merged Aquacue into Badger Meter, Inc. on December 31, 2013.

On January 31, 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of 100% of the outstanding common stock of Racine Federated, Inc. of Racine, Wisconsin and its subsidiary Premier Control Technologies, Ltd. (“PCT”) located in Thetford, England for approximately $57.3 million in cash, plus a small working capital adjustment. The purchase price included a final $4.6 million payment which was due and paid in 2013. Racine Federated manufactures and markets flow meters for the water industry as well as various industrial metering and specialty products. These products complement and expand the Company's existing lines for the global flow measurement business.

The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company sold PCT for a nominal amount after the majority of its functions were absorbed by the Company's European subsidiary. The Company also merged Racine Federated into Badger Meter, Inc. on December 31, 2012.