Segment information (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | segment	4
Revenue	$ 72,628,126	$ 68,793,651
Cost of revenue	45,859,671	40,519,303
Gross profit	26,768,455	28,274,348
General and administrative expenses	18,434,898	17,001,164
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	13,997	445,041
Income from operations	8,347,554	11,718,225
Other expense, net	1,082,946	786,552
Income before income taxes	9,430,500	12,504,777
Benefit for income taxes	86,724	66,621
Net income from continuing operations	9,343,776	12,438,156
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interests	730,005	1,549,978
Net income from continuing operations attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	8,613,771	10,888,178
Net income from discontinued operations	(4,902,243)	1,287,915
Net income attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	3,711,528	12,176,093
Accounts receivable, net	21,483,976	22,953,659
Inventory, current and non-current	7,721,020	7,691,933
Property, plant and equipment, net	57,687,984	61,238,752
Construction in progress	440,384	1,335,597
Intangibles, net	4,148,333	5,040,000
Goodwill	13,325,013	13,325,013
Total segment assets	156,877,964	162,728,352
Assets of discontinued operations	22,677,588	29,289,022
Total assets	179,555,552	192,017,374
Retail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	22,952,370	26,456,022
Cost of revenue	11,080,814	11,611,165
Gross profit	11,871,556	14,844,857
General and administrative expenses	12,879,445	13,422,821
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	2,965	398,041
Income from operations	(1,004,924)	1,820,077
Accounts receivable, net	2,444,455	2,891,165
Inventory, current and non-current	2,787,163	2,668,902
Property, plant and equipment, net	27,947,545	29,177,718
Construction in progress	305,110	396,214
Goodwill	1,170,511	1,170,511
Total segment assets	56,425,159	65,554,640
Bulk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	24,312,546	26,986,108
Cost of revenue	16,959,563	18,606,805
Gross profit	7,352,983	8,379,303
General and administrative expenses	1,260,062	1,238,296
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	7,213	47,000
Income from operations	6,100,134	7,188,007
Accounts receivable, net	17,022,813	18,883,493
Inventory, current and non-current	3,795,544	3,628,443
Property, plant and equipment, net	27,611,567	30,281,647
Construction in progress	31,737	869,792
Goodwill	1,948,875	1,948,875
Total segment assets	74,771,798	69,423,770
Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	12,937,859	1,759,446
Cost of revenue	9,698,214	1,215,193
Gross profit	3,239,645	544,253
General and administrative expenses	2,834,917	392,425
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	3,801
Income from operations	408,529	151,828
Accounts receivable, net	1,420,609	678,119
Property, plant and equipment, net	487,973	158,358
Intangibles, net	3,200,555	3,877,222
Goodwill	5,320,416	5,320,416
Total segment assets	14,470,322	12,895,385
Manufacturing Units [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	12,425,351	13,592,075
Cost of revenue	8,121,080	9,086,140
Gross profit	4,304,271	4,505,935
General and administrative expenses	1,460,474	1,947,622
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	18
Income from operations	2,843,815	2,558,313
Accounts receivable, net	596,099	500,882
Inventory, current and non-current	1,138,313	1,394,588
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,640,899	1,621,029
Construction in progress	103,537	69,591
Intangibles, net	947,778	1,162,778
Goodwill	4,885,211	4,885,211
Total segment assets	$ 11,210,685	$ 14,854,557