SJW (SJW) 10-Q 5 May 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information Document	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 22, 2015
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	SJW CORP
Entity Central Index Key	766829
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		20,341,489

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
OPERATING REVENUE	$62,112	$54,596
Production Expenses:
Purchased water	9,284	9,730
Power	1,172	1,489
Groundwater extraction charges	7,936	9,448
Other production expenses	2,997	2,862
Total production expenses	21,389	23,529
Administrative and general	11,296	9,450
Maintenance	3,368	3,274
Property taxes and other non-income taxes	3,095	2,804
Depreciation and amortization	10,159	9,485
Total operating expense	49,307	48,542
OPERATING INCOME	12,805	6,054
OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME:
Interest on long-term debt	-5,339	-4,542
Mortgage and other interest expense	-313	-328
Dividend income	43	63
Other, net	293	220
Income before income taxes	7,489	1,467
Provision for income taxes	2,794	561
NET INCOME	4,695	906
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Unrealized income (loss) on investment	-15	198
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	$4,680	$1,104
EARNINGS PER SHARE
Basic (usd per share)	$0.23	$0.04
Diluted (usd per share)	$0.23	$0.04
DIVIDENDS PER SHARE (usd per share)	$0.20	$0.19
WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING
Basic (shares)	20,326,897	20,194,851
Diluted (shares)	20,480,276	20,385,271

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Utility plant:
Land	$16,838	$16,838
Depreciable plant and equipment	1,369,521	1,353,772
Construction in progress	29,221	23,208
Intangible assets	20,324	19,333
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	1,435,904	1,413,151
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	458,538	450,137
Public Utilities, Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	977,366	963,014
Real estate investments	73,852	73,794
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	11,982	11,593
Total	61,870	62,201
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	5,417	2,399
Accounts receivable:
Customers, net of allowances for uncollectible accounts	17,574	14,997
Income tax	1,251	8,871
Other	3,027	3,385
Accrued unbilled utility revenue	16,090	18,074
Materials and supplies	1,250	1,214
Prepaid expenses	2,543	2,300
Current regulatory asset, net	15,996	16,853
Assets, Current	63,148	68,093
OTHER ASSETS:
Investment in California Water Service Group	6,352	6,378
Unamortized debt issuance, broker and reacquisition costs	5,094	5,218
Net regulatory assets, less current portion	157,449	158,010
Other	6,542	6,390
Assets, Noncurrent	175,437	175,996
Assets	1,277,821	1,269,304
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock, $0.521 par value; authorized 36,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 20,341,489 shares on March 31, 2015 and 20,286,840 on December 31, 2014	10,595	10,567
Additional paid-in capital	66,885	66,298
Retained earnings	281,473	280,773
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,502	2,517
Total shareholders' equity	361,455	360,155
Long-term debt, less current portion	384,189	384,365
Capitalization, Long-term Debt and Equity	745,644	744,520
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Line of credit	11,700	13,200
Current portion of long-term debt	613	584
Accrued groundwater extraction charges and purchased water	6,159	5,411
Purchased power	568	619
Accounts payable	11,776	7,001
Accrued interest	5,750	6,361
Accrued property taxes and other non-income taxes	2,635	1,607
Accrued payroll	3,474	3,755
Other current liabilities	5,977	6,156
Liabilities, Current	48,652	44,694
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	186,232	185,506
UNAMORTIZED INVESTMENT TAX CREDITS	1,300	1,315
ADVANCES FOR CONSTRUCTION	74,111	73,303
CONTRIBUTIONS IN AID OF CONSTRUCTION	138,195	138,502
DEFERRED REVENUE	1,328	1,323
POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS	76,476	74,187
OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES	5,883	5,954
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	0	0
Liabilities and Equity	$1,277,821	$1,269,304

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance1

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Common stock, par value (usd per share)	$0.52	$0.52
Common stock, shares authorized (shares)	36,000,000	36,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (shares)	20,341,489	20,286,840
Common stock, shares outstanding (shares)	20,341,489	20,286,840

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme1

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$4,695	$906
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	10,558	9,881
Deferred income taxes	460	113
Share-based compensation	399	244
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable and accrued unbilled utility revenue	-410	3,282
Accounts payable and other current liabilities	167	-972
Accrued groundwater extraction charges and purchased water	748	-653
Purchased power	-51	-46
Tax receivable and accrued taxes	9,011	1,574
Other current asset and liabilities related to balancing and memorandum accounts	-857	95
Postretirement benefits	2,289	1,507
Regulatory asset related to balancing and memorandum accounts	561	411
Other changes, net	-2,117	-412
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	27,167	15,740
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Company-funded	-16,253	-25,158
Contributions in aid of construction	-1,847	-1,625
Additions to real estate investments	-59	0
Payments for business/asset acquisition and water rights	-991	-807
Cost to retire utility plant, net of salvage	-2,318	-229
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	-21,468	-27,819
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings from line of credit	16,700	16,800
Repayments of line of credit	-18,200	-2,200
Repayments of long-term borrowings	-147	-138
Dividends paid	-3,966	-3,788
Exercise of stock options and similar instruments	433	476
Tax benefits realized from share options exercised	526	280
Receipts of advances and contributions in aid of construction	2,416	1,897
Refunds of advances for construction	-443	-429
NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	-2,681	12,898
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	3,018	819
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD	2,399	2,299
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD	5,417	3,118
Cash paid (received) during the period for:
Interest	6,474	5,066
Income taxes	-6,000	-10
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash activities:
Increase (decrease) in accrued payables for construction costs capitalized	4,408	-1,254
Utility property installed by developers	($35)	$1,277

General

General	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
GENERAL	General
	In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal, recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods.
	The unaudited interim financial information has been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in SJW Corp.'s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K should be read with the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
	Water sales are seasonal in nature and influenced by weather conditions. The timing of precipitation and climatic conditions can cause seasonal water consumption by customers to vary significantly. Due to the seasonal nature of the water business, the operating results for interim periods are not indicative of the operating results for a 12-month period. Revenue is generally higher in the warm, dry summer months when water usage and sales are greater, and lower in the winter months when cooler temperatures and increased rainfall curtail water usage and sales.
	In response to the ongoing drought in California, on March 17, 2015, the State Water Resources Control Board (“State Water Board”) adopted an expanded emergency conservation regulation that became effective on March 27, 2015. The regulation prohibits certain outdoor water uses for all Californians and also places water usage restrictions on businesses in the restaurant and hospitality sectors. On March 25, 2015, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (“SCVWD”) increased their conservation target from 20% to 30% through the end of 2015. On April 1, 2015, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued an executive order imposing restrictions to achieve a statewide 25% reduction in potable urban water usage through February 28, 2016 based on 2013 usage. On April 9, 2015, the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) issued a resolution ordering its regulated water utilities to comply with the State Water Board's emergency conservation regulation, conduct additional customer outreach and implement restrictions of outdoor water use. Additional guidance from the State Water Board in response to the Governor's Executive Order is anticipated in early May. San Jose Water Company is currently working to comply with the various rules and regulations and is also working with local governments as well as the SCVWD to communicate consistent messages to the public.
	Effective March 31, 2014, San Jose Water Company received approval from the CPUC for a Mandatory Conservation Revenue Adjustment Memorandum Account (“MCRAMA”) to track any revenue shortfall and a Mandatory Conservation Memorandum Account (“MCMA”) to track operational and administrative costs associated with implementation of the 2014 20% SCVWD conservation goal. San Jose Water Company will record the lost revenue captured in the MCRAMA and MCMA regulatory accounts once probability of recovery can be determined and collection can be assured within 24 months after the end of the fiscal year in which the revenue is recorded. For further discussion, please see Note 8 and Note 9.
	Basic earnings per share is calculated using income available to common shareholders, divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated using income available to common shareholders divided by the weighted average number of shares of common stock including both shares outstanding and shares potentially issuable in connection with deferred restricted common stock awards under SJW Corp.'s Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Incentive Plan”) and shares potentially issuable under the 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, 118 and 449 anti-dilutive restricted common stock units were excluded from the dilutive earnings per share calculation, respectively.
	A portion of depreciation expense is allocated to administrative and general expense. For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the amounts allocated to administrative and general expense were $399 and $396, respectively.

Equity_Plans

Equity Plans	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
EQUITY PLANS	Equity Plans
	SJW Corp. accounts for share-based compensation based on the grant date fair value of the awards issued to employees in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) Topic 718 - “Compensation - Stock Compensation,” which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense based on the estimated fair value for all share-based payment awards.
	The Incentive Plan allows SJW Corp. to provide employees, non-employee board members or the board of directors of any parent or subsidiary, consultants, and other independent advisors who provide services to the company or any parent or subsidiary the opportunity to acquire an equity interest in SJW Corp. The types of awards included in the Incentive Plan are restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, performance shares, or other share-based awards. As of March 31, 2015, the remaining shares available for issuance under the Incentive Plan were 1,047,422, and 257,917 shares were issuable upon the exercise of outstanding restricted stock units and deferred restricted stock units. In addition, shares are issued to employees under the ESPP. SJW Corp. also had a Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (“DRSPP”) which allowed eligible participants to buy shares and reinvest cash dividends in SJW Corp. common stock. The DRSPP was terminated effective as of April 14, 2014.
	Stock compensation costs charged to income are recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. A summary of compensation costs charged to income, proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments, and the tax benefit realized from stock options and similar instruments exercised, that were recorded to additional paid-in capital and common stock, by award type, are presented below for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
		Three months ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Adjustments to additional paid-in capital and common stock for:
	Compensation costs charged to income:
	ESPP	$	76	72
	Restricted stock and deferred restricted stock	323		172
	Total compensation costs charged to income	$	399	244
	Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance:
	Stock options	$	—	59
	Restricted stock and deferred restricted stock	526		221
	Total excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance	$	526	280
	Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments:
	Stock options	$	—	44
	DRSPP	—		26
	ESPP	433		406
	Total proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments	$	433	476
	Stock, Restricted Stock and Deferred Restricted Stock
	On January 2, 2015, restricted stock units covering an aggregate of 12,271 shares of common stock of SJW Corp. were granted to certain executives of SJW Corp. and its subsidiaries. The units vest in three equal successive installments upon completion of each year of service with no dividend equivalent rights. Share-based compensation expense based on a grant date fair value of $29.83 per unit is being recognized over the service period beginning in 2015.
	On January 27, 2015, certain executives of SJW Corp. were granted performance-based restricted stock units covering a target number of SJW Corp.'s common stock equal to 3,252 units which will vest based on the actual attainment of specified performance goals measured for the 2015 calendar year and continued service through December 31, 2015. The number of shares issuable under the awards, ranging between 0% to 150% of the target number of shares, are based on the level of actual attainment of specified performance goals. The units do not include dividend equivalent rights. The awards have no market conditions and the share-based compensation expense based on a grant date fair value of $34.36 per unit is being recognized assuming the performance goals will be attained.
	On January 27, 2015, a key employee of SJW Corp. was granted performance-based restricted stock units covering a number of SJW Corp.'s common stock equal to 6,639 units which will vest based on the actual attainment of a specified performance goal measured over the 2015 calendar year and continued service through December 31, 2015. The units do not include dividend equivalent rights. The award has no market conditions and the share-based compensation expense based on a grant date fair value of $34.36 per unit is being recognized assuming the performance goals will be attained.
	As of March 31, 2015, the total unrecognized compensation costs related to restricted and deferred restricted stock plans amounted to $1,988. This cost is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average period of 1.22 years.
	Employee Stock Purchase Plan
	The ESPP allows eligible employees to purchase shares of SJW Corp.'s common stock at 85% of the fair value of shares on the purchase date. Under the ESPP, employees can designate up to a maximum of 10% of their base compensation for the purchase of shares of common stock, subject to certain restrictions. A total of 400,000 shares of common stock have been reserved for issuance under the ESPP.
	After considering estimated employee terminations or withdrawals from the plan before the purchase date, SJW Corp.'s recorded expenses were $39 and $36 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, related to the ESPP.
	The total unrecognized compensation costs related to the semi-annual offering period that ends July 31, 2015 for the ESPP is approximately $51. This cost is expected to be recognized during the second and third quarters of 2015.
	Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan
	SJW Corp. adopted a DRSPP effective April 19, 2011. The DRSPP offered shareholders the ability to reinvest cash dividends in SJW Corp. common stock and also purchase additional shares of SJW Corp. common stock. A total of 3,000,000 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance under the DRSPP. For the three months ended March 31, 2014, 875 shares were issued under the DRSPP.
	SJW Corp. terminated the DRSPP effective as of April 14, 2014. On April 16, 2014, SJW Corp. filed a Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the registration statement on Form S-3 (file no. 333-172048) with the SEC to deregister the 2,993,744 remaining shares of SJW Corp.'s common stock that were available for issuance under the DRSPP at the time of its termination.

Real_Estate_Investments

Real Estate Investments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Real Estate Investments, Net [Abstract]
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS	Real Estate Investments
	The major components of real estate investments as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are as follows:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Land	$	17,297	17,297
	Buildings and improvements	56,226		56,168
	Intangibles	329		329
	Subtotal	73,852		73,794
	Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	11,982		11,593
	Total	$	61,870	62,201
	Depreciation and amortization is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated life of the respective assets, ranging from 5 to 39 years.

Defined_Benefit_Plan

Defined Benefit Plan	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN	Defined Benefit Plan
	San Jose Water Company sponsors a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan for its eligible employees. Employees hired before March 31, 2008 are entitled to receive retirement benefits using a formula based on the employee's three highest years of compensation (whether or not consecutive). For employees hired on or after March 31, 2008, benefits are determined using a cash balance formula based on compensation credits and interest credits for each employee. Officers hired before March 31, 2008 are eligible to receive additional retirement benefits under the Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan, and officers hired on or after March 31, 2008 are eligible to receive additional retirement benefits under the Cash Balance Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan. Both plans are non-qualified plans in which only officers and other designated members of management may participate. San Jose Water Company also provides health care and life insurance benefits for retired employees under the San Jose Water Company Social Welfare Plan. The components of net periodic benefit costs for San Jose Water Company's pension plan, its Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan, Cash Balance Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan and Social Welfare Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:
		Three months ended March 31,
		2015				2014
	Service cost	$	1,363			1,059
	Interest cost	1,711				1,651
	Other cost	1,192				632
	Expected return on assets	(1,817		)		(1,667	)
		$	2,449			1,675
	The following tables summarize the fair values of plan assets by major categories as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
				Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2015
								Quoted		Significant		Significant
								Prices in		Observable		Unobservable
								Active		Inputs		Inputs
								Markets for
								Identical
								Assets
	Asset Category	Benchmark		Total				(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	5,708			$	5,708	$	—	$	—
	Actively Managed (a):
	All Cap Equity	Russell 3000 Value		4,232				4,203		29		—
	U.S. Large Cap Equity	Russell 1000, Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 1000 Value		36,233				36,233		—		—
	U.S. Mid Cap Equity	Russell Mid Cap, Russell Mid Cap Growth, Russell Mid Cap Value		6,330				6,330		—		—
	U.S. Small Cap Equity	Russell 2000, Russell 2000 Growth, Russell 2000 Value		5,444				5,444		—		—
	Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity	MSCI EAFE		4,970				4,970		—		—
	REIT	NAREIT - Equity REIT'S		5,369				—		5,369		—
	Fixed Income (b)	(b)		37,039				—		37,039		—
	Total			$	105,325			$	62,888	$	42,437	$	—
	The Plan has a current target allocation of 55% invested in a diversified array of equity securities to provide long-term capital appreciation and 45% invested in a diversified array of fixed income securities to provide preservation of capital plus generation of income.
	(a)	Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
	(b)	Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.
				Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2014
								Quoted		Significant		Significant
								Prices in		Observable		Unobservable
								Active		Inputs		Inputs
								Markets for
								Identical
								Assets
	Asset Category	Benchmark		Total				(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	6,811			$	6,811	$	—	$	—
	Actively Managed (a):
	All Cap Equity	Russell 3000 Vaue		4,266				4,237		29		—
	U.S. Large Cap Equity	Russell 1000, Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 1000 Value		35,489				35,489		—		—
	U.S. Mid Cap Equity	Russell Mid Cap, Russell Mid Cap Growth, Russell Mid Cap Value		6,069				6,069		—		—
	U.S. Small Cap Equity	Russell 2000, Russell 2000 Growth, Russell 2000 Value		4,982				4,982		—		—
	Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity	MSCI EAFE		4,758				4,758		—		—
	REIT	NAREIT - Equity REIT'S		5,069				—		5,069		—
	Fixed Income (b)	(b)		36,435				—		36,435		—
	Total			$	103,879			$	62,346	$	41,533	$	—
	The Plan has a current target allocation of 55% invested in a diversified array of equity securities to provide long-term capital appreciation and 45% invested in a diversified array of fixed income securities to provide preservation of capital plus generation of income.
	(a)	Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
	(b)	Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.
	In 2015, San Jose Water Company expects to make required and discretionary cash contributions of up to $8,077 to the pension plans and Social Welfare Plan. There have been no contributions to the pension plans and Social Welfare Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2015.

Segment_and_Nonregulated_Busin

Segment and Nonregulated Business Reporting	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
SEGMENT AND NONREGULATED BUSINESS REPORTING	Segment and Non-Tariffed Business Reporting
	SJW Corp. is a holding company with four subsidiaries: (i) San Jose Water Company, a water utility which operates both regulated and non-tariffed businesses, (ii) SJW Land Company and its consolidated variable interest entity, 444 West Santa Clara Street, L.P., which operate commercial building rentals, (iii) SJWTX, Inc. which is doing business as Canyon Lake Water Service Company (“CLWSC”), a regulated water utility located in Canyon Lake, Texas, and its consolidated non-tariffed variable interest entity, Acequia Water Supply Corporation, and (iv) Texas Water Alliance Limited, a non-tariffed water utility operation which is undertaking activities that are necessary to develop a water supply project in Texas. In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 280 – “Segment Reporting,” SJW Corp. has determined that it has two reportable business segments. The first segment is that of providing water utility and utility-related services to its customers through SJW Corp.'s subsidiaries, San Jose Water Company, Canyon Lake Water Service Company, and Texas Water Alliance Limited, together referred to as “Water Utility Services.” The second segment is property management and investment activity conducted by SJW Land Company, referred to as “Real Estate Services.”
	SJW Corp.'s reportable segments have been determined based on information used by the chief operating decision maker. SJW Corp.'s chief operating decision maker is its senior staff which includes the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, and Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. The senior staff reviews financial information presented on a consolidated basis that is accompanied by disaggregated information about operating revenue, net income and total assets, by subsidiaries.
	The tables below set forth information relating to SJW Corp.'s reportable segments and distribution of regulated and non-tariffed business activities within the reportable segments. Certain allocated assets, revenue and expenses have been included in the reportable segment amounts. Other business activity of SJW Corp. not included in the reportable segments is included in the “All Other” category.
		For Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
		Water Utility Services			Real Estate Services	All Other*		SJW Corp.
		Regulated		Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed		Regulated	Non-tariffed		Total
	Operating revenue	$	58,887	1,447	1,778	—		58,887	3,225		62,112
	Operating expense	46,922		962	1,024	399		46,922	2,385		49,307
	Operating income (loss)	11,965		485	754	(399	)	11,965	840		12,805
	Net income (loss)	4,701		218	260	(484	)	4,701	(6	)	4,695
	Depreciation and amortization	9,679		90	390	—		9,679	480		10,159
	Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	4,830		—	255	567		4,830	822		5,652
	Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	2,818		182	145	(351	)	2,818	(24	)	2,794
	Assets	$	1,188,389	18,668	66,053	4,711		1,188,389	89,432		1,277,821
		For Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
		Water Utility Services			Real Estate Services	All Other*		SJW Corp.
		Regulated		Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed		Regulated	Non-tariffed		Total
	Operating revenue	$	51,626	1,228	1,742	—		51,626	2,970		54,596
	Operating expense	46,463		872	1,022	185		46,463	2,079		48,542
	Operating income (loss)	5,163		356	720	(185	)	5,163	891		6,054
	Net income (loss)	903		151	204	(352	)	903	3		906
	Depreciation and amortization	8,977		90	418	—		8,977	508		9,485
	Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	4,081		—	237	552		4,081	789		4,870
	Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	552		124	153	(268	)	552	9		561
	Assets	$	1,027,073	16,965	70,710	9,187		1,027,073	96,862		1,123,935
	*    The “All Other” category includes the accounts of SJW Corp. on a stand-alone basis.

LongTerm_Liabilities_and_Bank_

Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings	Long-Term Liabilities and Bank Borrowings
	SJW Corp.'s contractual obligations and commitments include senior notes, mortgages and other obligations. San Jose Water Company, a subsidiary of SJW Corp., has received advance deposit payments from its customers on certain construction projects. Refunds of the advance deposit payments constitute an obligation of San Jose Water Company solely.

Fair_Value_Measurement

Fair Value Measurement	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT	Fair Value Measurement
	The following instruments are not measured at fair value on the SJW Corp.'s condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2015, but require disclosure of their fair values: cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable. The estimated fair value of such instruments as of March 31, 2015 approximates their carrying value as reported on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The fair value of such financial instruments are determined using the income approach based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. There have been no changes in our valuation technique during the three months ended March 31, 2015. The fair value of these instruments would be categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy, with the exception of cash and cash equivalents, which would be categorized as Level 1. The fair value of pension plan assets is discussed in Note 4.
	The fair value of SJW Corp.'s long-term debt was approximately $489,650 and $460,171 as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, and was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, based on the current rates for similar financial instruments of the same duration and creditworthiness of the company. The book value of the long-term debt was $384,802 and $384,949 as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The fair value of long-term debt would be categorized as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.
	As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the fair value of the Company's investment in California Water Service Group was $6,352 and $6,378, respectively, and would be categorized as Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

Regulatory_Rate_Filings

Regulatory Rate Filings	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Regulated Operations [Abstract]
Regulatory Rate Filings	Regulatory Rate Filings
	On September 15, 2014, San Jose Water Company filed an application for rehearing of 2012 General Rate Case Decision No. 14-08-006 to address a limited set of issues from San Jose Water Company's General Rate Case Decision No. 14-08-006. Specifically, San Jose Water Company sought rehearing on the duration of the interim rate period used to determine the General Rate Case true-up recovery and rehearing on the treatment of excess capacity labor in the provision of non-tariffed products and services. On March 27, 2015, the CPUC issued Decision No. 15-03-048 granting a limited rehearing and modifying Decision No. 14-08-006 to recover lost revenue related to the extension of interim rates from the date of the 2012 General Rate Case Decision (August 14, 2014) to the date 2014 rates became effective (September 29, 2014). San Jose Water Company filed for recovery of this additional interim true-up early in the second quarter of 2015. As the probability for revenue recognition was met during the first quarter of 2015, San Jose Water Company recorded revenue in the amount of $1,876. Please see table in Note 9. Decision No. 15-03-048 also provided for a limited rehearing on the treatment of excess capacity labor in the provision of non-tariffed products and services. San Jose Water Company submitted additional information in late April 2015 to the Commission and anticipates a decision on this issue by the end of the second quarter of 2015.
	On January 5, 2015, San Jose Water Company filed General Rate Case Application 15-01-002 requesting authority for an increase of $34,928, or 12.22%, in 2016, $9,954, or 3.11%, in 2017 and $17,567, or 5.36%, in 2018. This General Rate Case filing also includes several “special requests”, including but not limited to: (1) recovery of the under-collected balance of $4,752 in balancing accounts, (2) disbursement of the over-collected balance of $976 accrued in various memorandum accounts, and (3) implementation of a full revenue decoupling Water Revenue Adjustment Mechanism and associated Modified Cost Balancing Account. A General Rate Case is a year-long proceeding before the CPUC that involves a discovery phase led by the CPUC's Office of Ratepayer Advocates and customer intervenors that are assigned party status, settlement meetings, as well as possible evidentiary hearings. A final decision is expected to occur in the second half of 2015 with new rates becoming effective at the beginning of 2016. If a decision is not reached by the end of 2015, the CPUC has mechanisms in place that will allow San Jose Water Company to request interim rates, effective January 1, 2016, until such time a decision is adopted.
	On March 26, 2015, San Jose Water Company filed Advice Letter No. 468 with the CPUC. With this advice letter San Jose Water Company is requesting authorization to recover the $9,567 under-collection accumulated in the MCRAMA during the period April 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. The MCRAMA approved by the CPUC allows San Jose Water Company to track lost revenue associated with reduced sales due to the ongoing drought and the associated calls for water use reduction from the SCVWD. San Jose Water Company seeks to recover the accumulated balance via a quantity based surcharge on all potable usage for a period of 12 months. San Jose Water Company has requested that this surcharge be implemented on June 1, 2015, however this surcharge request will require a Commission Resolution which may not be completed until after the requested implementation date.
	On April 9, 2015, the CPUC issued Resolution W-5034 ordering water utility compliance with the State Water Board's Resolution No. 2015-0015, adopting a new 2015 emergency regulation for statewide urban water conservation and re-adopting the 2014 emergency regulation. Amongst other items, the resolution directs utilities to notify customers of the State Water Board's mandatory water use restrictions and fines, to implement either mandatory outdoor irrigation restrictions or, alternatively, mandatory water conservation measures, and to add a Tariff Rule 14.1 as soon as practicable. Tariff Rule 14.1 focuses primarily on restrictions of outdoor water use which accounts for 50% of a typical customer's water usage.
	Effective September 1, 2014, CLWSC became subject to the economic regulation of the Public Utilities Commission of Texas (“PUCT”). Prior to that time CLWSC was subject to economic regulation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (“TCEQ”). Both the PUCT and TCEQ authorize rate increases after the filing of an Application for a Rate/Tariff Change. Rate cases may be filed as they become necessary, provided there is no current rate case outstanding. Further, rate cases may not be filed more frequently than once every 12 months.

Balancing_and_Memorandum_Accou

Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Regulated Operations [Abstract]
BALANCING AND MEMORANDUM ACCOUNT RECOVERY PROCEDURES	Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures
	For California, the CPUC has established a balancing account mechanism for the purpose of tracking the under-collection or over-collection associated with expense changes and the revenue authorized by the CPUC to offset those expense changes. San Jose Water Company also maintains memorandum accounts to track revenue impacts due to catastrophic events, unforeseen water quality expenses related to new federal and state water quality standards, energy efficiency, cost of capital, any revenue requirement impact of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, and other approved activities or as directed by the CPUC.
	Balancing and memorandum accounts are recognized in revenue by San Jose Water Company when it is probable that future recovery of previously incurred costs or future refunds that are to be credited to customers will occur through the ratemaking process. In addition, in the case of special revenue programs such as the MCRAMA, collection of the account balance must occur within 24 months of the year-end in which the revenue is recorded. In assessing the probability criteria for balancing and memorandum accounts between general rate cases, San Jose Water Company considers evidence that may exist prior to CPUC authorization that would satisfy FASB ASC Topic 980 - “Regulated Operations,” subtopic 340-25 recognition criteria. Such evidence may include regulatory rules and decisions, past practices, and other facts and circumstances that would indicate that recovery or refund is probable. When such evidence provides sufficient support for balance recognition, the balances are recorded in SJW Corp.'s financial statements.
	San Jose Water Company met the recognition requirements for certain of its balancing and memorandum accounts and certain amounts subject to balancing and memorandum accounts and revenue and regulatory assets changed as follows:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015									Three months ended March 31, 2014
		Beginning Balance			Revenue Increase(Reduction)		Refunds (Collections)		Ending Balance		Beginning Balance			Revenue Increase(Reduction)		Refunds (Collections)	Ending Balance
	Memorandum accounts	$	(1,377	)	423		165		(789	)	$	(1,896	)	197		—	(1,699	)
	Balancing accounts:
	Water supply costs	890			(12	)	(53	)	825		(2,378		)	(394	)	—	(2,772	)
	Pension	1,412			(606	)	(383	)	423		9,734			31		—	9,765
	2012 General Rate Case true-up	44,400			1,876		(2,759	)	43,517		—			—		—	—
	All others	1,736			(114	)	(29	)	1,593		2,229			(244	)	—	1,985
	Total balancing accounts	$	48,438		1,144		(3,224	)	46,358		$	9,585		(607	)	—	8,978
	Total	$	47,061		1,567		(3,059	)	45,569		$	7,689		(410	)	—	7,279
	On March 27, 2015, the CPUC issued Decision No. 15-03-048 granting a limited rehearing and modifying Decision No. 14-08-006 to extend the interim rate period to end on the effective date of 2014 rates. San Jose Water Company filed for the recovery of this additional interim true-up early in the second quarter of 2015. As of March 31, 2015, the probability criteria for revenue recognition had been met. As such, San Jose Water Company recorded $1,876 of revenue which has been included in the 2012 General Rate Case true-up row in the table above.
	As of March 31, 2015, the total balance in San Jose Water Company's balancing and memorandum accounts combined, including interest, that has not been recorded into the financial statements was a net under-collection of $8,115, of which the majority relates to the MCRAMA and MCMA. All balancing accounts and memorandum-type accounts not included for recovery or refund in the current general rate case will be reviewed by the CPUC in San Jose Water Company's next general rate case or at the time an individual account reaches a threshold of 2% of authorized revenue, whichever occurs first. On March 26, 2015, San Jose Water Company filed Advice Letter No. 468 with the CPUC requesting authorization to recover the $9,567 under-collection accumulated in the MCRAMA during the period April 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. For further discussion, please see Note 8.

Regulatory_Assets_and_Liabilit

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities	Regulatory Assets and Liabilities
	Regulatory assets and liabilities are comprised of the following as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
	Description	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
	Regulatory assets:
	Income tax temporary differences, net	$	6,731	6,731
	Postretirement pensions and other medical benefits	115,494		115,494
	Balancing and memorandum accounts, net	45,569		47,061
	Other, net	5,651		5,577
	Total regulatory assets, net in Consolidated Balance Sheets	$	173,445	174,863
	Less: current regulatory asset, net	15,996		16,853
	Total regulatory assets, net, less current portion	$	157,449	158,010

Legal_Proceedings

Legal Proceedings	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS	Legal Proceedings
	SJW Corp. is subject to ordinary routine litigation incidental to its business. There are no pending legal proceedings to which SJW Corp. or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or to which any of its properties is the subject, that are expected to have a material effect on SJW Corp.'s business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

General_Policies

General (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy	The unaudited interim financial information has been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in SJW Corp.'s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K should be read with the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
Earnings Per Share, Policy	Basic earnings per share is calculated using income available to common shareholders, divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated using income available to common shareholders divided by the weighted average number of shares of common stock including both shares outstanding and shares potentially issuable in connection with deferred restricted common stock awards under SJW Corp.'s Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Incentive Plan”) and shares potentially issuable under the 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”).

Equity_Plans_Tables

Equity Plans (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan	A summary of compensation costs charged to income, proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments, and the tax benefit realized from stock options and similar instruments exercised, that were recorded to additional paid-in capital and common stock, by award type, are presented below for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
		Three months ended March 31,
		2015		2014
	Adjustments to additional paid-in capital and common stock for:
	Compensation costs charged to income:
	ESPP	$	76	72
	Restricted stock and deferred restricted stock	323		172
	Total compensation costs charged to income	$	399	244
	Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance:
	Stock options	$	—	59
	Restricted stock and deferred restricted stock	526		221
	Total excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance	$	526	280
	Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments:
	Stock options	$	—	44
	DRSPP	—		26
	ESPP	433		406
	Total proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments	$	433	476

Real_Estate_Investments_Tables

Real Estate Investments (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Real Estate Investments, Net [Abstract]
Schedule of Real Estate Investments	The major components of real estate investments as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are as follows:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
	Land	$	17,297	17,297
	Buildings and improvements	56,226		56,168
	Intangibles	329		329
	Subtotal	73,852		73,794
	Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	11,982		11,593
	Total	$	61,870	62,201

Defined_Benfit_Plan_Tables

Defined Benfit Plan (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Net Benefit Costs	The components of net periodic benefit costs for San Jose Water Company's pension plan, its Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan, Cash Balance Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan and Social Welfare Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:
		Three months ended March 31,
		2015				2014
	Service cost	$	1,363			1,059
	Interest cost	1,711				1,651
	Other cost	1,192				632
	Expected return on assets	(1,817		)		(1,667	)
		$	2,449			1,675
Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets	The following tables summarize the fair values of plan assets by major categories as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
				Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2015
								Quoted		Significant		Significant
								Prices in		Observable		Unobservable
								Active		Inputs		Inputs
								Markets for
								Identical
								Assets
	Asset Category	Benchmark		Total				(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	5,708			$	5,708	$	—	$	—
	Actively Managed (a):
	All Cap Equity	Russell 3000 Value		4,232				4,203		29		—
	U.S. Large Cap Equity	Russell 1000, Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 1000 Value		36,233				36,233		—		—
	U.S. Mid Cap Equity	Russell Mid Cap, Russell Mid Cap Growth, Russell Mid Cap Value		6,330				6,330		—		—
	U.S. Small Cap Equity	Russell 2000, Russell 2000 Growth, Russell 2000 Value		5,444				5,444		—		—
	Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity	MSCI EAFE		4,970				4,970		—		—
	REIT	NAREIT - Equity REIT'S		5,369				—		5,369		—
	Fixed Income (b)	(b)		37,039				—		37,039		—
	Total			$	105,325			$	62,888	$	42,437	$	—
	The Plan has a current target allocation of 55% invested in a diversified array of equity securities to provide long-term capital appreciation and 45% invested in a diversified array of fixed income securities to provide preservation of capital plus generation of income.
	(a)	Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
	(b)	Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.
				Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2014
								Quoted		Significant		Significant
								Prices in		Observable		Unobservable
								Active		Inputs		Inputs
								Markets for
								Identical
								Assets
	Asset Category	Benchmark		Total				(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	6,811			$	6,811	$	—	$	—
	Actively Managed (a):
	All Cap Equity	Russell 3000 Vaue		4,266				4,237		29		—
	U.S. Large Cap Equity	Russell 1000, Russell 1000 Growth, Russell 1000 Value		35,489				35,489		—		—
	U.S. Mid Cap Equity	Russell Mid Cap, Russell Mid Cap Growth, Russell Mid Cap Value		6,069				6,069		—		—
	U.S. Small Cap Equity	Russell 2000, Russell 2000 Growth, Russell 2000 Value		4,982				4,982		—		—
	Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity	MSCI EAFE		4,758				4,758		—		—
	REIT	NAREIT - Equity REIT'S		5,069				—		5,069		—
	Fixed Income (b)	(b)		36,435				—		36,435		—
	Total			$	103,879			$	62,346	$	41,533	$	—
	The Plan has a current target allocation of 55% invested in a diversified array of equity securities to provide long-term capital appreciation and 45% invested in a diversified array of fixed income securities to provide preservation of capital plus generation of income.
	(a)	Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
	(b)	Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.

Segment_and_Nonregulated_Busin1

Segment and Nonregulated Business Reporting (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment	The tables below set forth information relating to SJW Corp.'s reportable segments and distribution of regulated and non-tariffed business activities within the reportable segments. Certain allocated assets, revenue and expenses have been included in the reportable segment amounts. Other business activity of SJW Corp. not included in the reportable segments is included in the “All Other” category.
		For Three Months Ended March 31, 2015
		Water Utility Services			Real Estate Services	All Other*		SJW Corp.
		Regulated		Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed		Regulated	Non-tariffed		Total
	Operating revenue	$	58,887	1,447	1,778	—		58,887	3,225		62,112
	Operating expense	46,922		962	1,024	399		46,922	2,385		49,307
	Operating income (loss)	11,965		485	754	(399	)	11,965	840		12,805
	Net income (loss)	4,701		218	260	(484	)	4,701	(6	)	4,695
	Depreciation and amortization	9,679		90	390	—		9,679	480		10,159
	Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	4,830		—	255	567		4,830	822		5,652
	Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	2,818		182	145	(351	)	2,818	(24	)	2,794
	Assets	$	1,188,389	18,668	66,053	4,711		1,188,389	89,432		1,277,821
		For Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
		Water Utility Services			Real Estate Services	All Other*		SJW Corp.
		Regulated		Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed	Non-tariffed		Regulated	Non-tariffed		Total
	Operating revenue	$	51,626	1,228	1,742	—		51,626	2,970		54,596
	Operating expense	46,463		872	1,022	185		46,463	2,079		48,542
	Operating income (loss)	5,163		356	720	(185	)	5,163	891		6,054
	Net income (loss)	903		151	204	(352	)	903	3		906
	Depreciation and amortization	8,977		90	418	—		8,977	508		9,485
	Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	4,081		—	237	552		4,081	789		4,870
	Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	552		124	153	(268	)	552	9		561
	Assets	$	1,027,073	16,965	70,710	9,187		1,027,073	96,862		1,123,935
	*    The “All Other” category includes the accounts of SJW Corp. on a stand-alone basis.

Balancing_and_Memorandum_Accou1

Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Regulated Operations [Abstract]
Public Utilities General Disclosures	San Jose Water Company met the recognition requirements for certain of its balancing and memorandum accounts and certain amounts subject to balancing and memorandum accounts and revenue and regulatory assets changed as follows:
		Three months ended March 31, 2015									Three months ended March 31, 2014
		Beginning Balance			Revenue Increase(Reduction)		Refunds (Collections)		Ending Balance		Beginning Balance			Revenue Increase(Reduction)		Refunds (Collections)	Ending Balance
	Memorandum accounts	$	(1,377	)	423		165		(789	)	$	(1,896	)	197		—	(1,699	)
	Balancing accounts:
	Water supply costs	890			(12	)	(53	)	825		(2,378		)	(394	)	—	(2,772	)
	Pension	1,412			(606	)	(383	)	423		9,734			31		—	9,765
	2012 General Rate Case true-up	44,400			1,876		(2,759	)	43,517		—			—		—	—
	All others	1,736			(114	)	(29	)	1,593		2,229			(244	)	—	1,985
	Total balancing accounts	$	48,438		1,144		(3,224	)	46,358		$	9,585		(607	)	—	8,978
	Total	$	47,061		1,567		(3,059	)	45,569		$	7,689		(410	)	—	7,279

Regulatory_Assets_and_Liabilit1

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Regulatory Assets	Regulatory assets and liabilities are comprised of the following as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014:
	Description	March 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
	Regulatory assets:
	Income tax temporary differences, net	$	6,731	6,731
	Postretirement pensions and other medical benefits	115,494		115,494
	Balancing and memorandum accounts, net	45,569		47,061
	Other, net	5,651		5,577
	Total regulatory assets, net in Consolidated Balance Sheets	$	173,445	174,863
	Less: current regulatory asset, net	15,996		16,853
	Total regulatory assets, net, less current portion	$	157,449	158,010

General_Additional_Information

General - Additional Information (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Apr. 01, 2015	Mar. 27, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 26, 2015	Jan. 05, 2015
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items]
Water reduction target goal (percent)			20.00%
Mandatory Water Reduction, Percentage	25.00%
Authorized Regulatory Surcharge, Gross		$1,876
Memorandum Account, Recovery Request					$9,567	$976
Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items]
Water reduction target goal (percent)				30.00%

General_Earnings_Per_Share_Det

General - Earnings Per Share (Details) (Restricted Stock and Stock Options)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock and Stock Options
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Anti-dilutive restricted common stock units excluded from computation of earnings per share (shares)	118	449

General_Depreciation_Details

General - Depreciation (Details) (General and Administrative Expense, USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
General and Administrative Expense
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Depreciation	$399	$396

Equity_Plans_Details

Equity Plans (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Jan. 27, 2015	Jan. 02, 2015	Aug. 04, 2014	Apr. 14, 2014
				vesting_installment
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation costs charged to income:	$399	$244
Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance:	526	280
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments:	433	476
Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Remaining shares available for issuance under the Incentive Plan (shares)	1,047,422
Shares issuable upon exercise of Incentive Plan awards (shares)	257,917
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation costs charged to income:	76	72
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments:	433	406
Unrecognized compensation costs	51
Purchase price of common stock under ESPP (percent)	85.00%
Maximum percentage of base compensation employees can designate for stock purchases under ESPP (percent)	10.00%
Plan expense	39	36
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (DRSPP)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments:	0	26
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan (shares)	3,000,000
Number of shares issued under the DRSPP (shares)		875
Restricted stock and deferred restricted stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation costs charged to income:	323	172
Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance:	526	221
Unrecognized compensation costs	1,988
Recognition period for unrecognized compensation cost	1 year 2 months 19 days
Stock options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Excess tax benefits realized from share options exercised and stock issuance:	0	59
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and similar instruments:	$0	$44
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of equity instruments granted (shares)			6,639	12,271
Number of equal successive installments for vesting of stock awards (vesting installments)				3
Grant date fair value of equity instruments granted (usd per share)			$34.36	$29.83
Common Stock | Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan (shares)	400,000
Common Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares Deregistered (in shares)						2,993,744
Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Target vesting percentage					0.00%
Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Target vesting percentage					150.00%
Executive Officer [Member] | Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of equity instruments granted (shares)			3,252
Grant date fair value of equity instruments granted (usd per share)			$34.36

Real_Estate_Investments_Detail

Real Estate Investments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Land	17,297	$17,297
Buildings and improvements	56,226	56,168
Intangibles	329	329
Subtotal	73,852	73,794
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	11,982	11,593
Total	61,870	$62,201
Minimum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	5 years
Maximum
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	39 years

Defined_Benfit_Plan_Details

Defined Benfit Plan (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost	$1,363		$1,059
Interest cost	1,711		1,651
Other cost	1,192		632
Expected return on assets	-1,817		-1,667
Net periodic benefit cost	2,449		1,675
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	105,325			103,879
Employer Contributions [Abstract]
Estimated employer contributions for the current fiscal year	8,077
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	62,888			62,346
Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	42,437			41,533
Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0			0
Equity Securities [Member]
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Target plan asset allocations	55.00%		55.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Target plan asset allocations	45.00%		45.00%
Cash and cash equivalents
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	5,708			6,811
Cash and cash equivalents | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	5,708			6,811
Cash and cash equivalents | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0			0
Cash and cash equivalents | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0			0
Actively Managed | All Cap Equity
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	4,232	[1]		4,266	[1]
Actively Managed | All Cap Equity | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	4,203	[1]		4,237	[1]
Actively Managed | All Cap Equity | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	29	[1]		29	[1]
Actively Managed | All Cap Equity | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Large Cap Equity
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	36,233	[1]		35,489	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Large Cap Equity | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	36,233	[1]		35,489	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Large Cap Equity | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Large Cap Equity | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Mid Cap Equity
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	6,330	[1]		6,069	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Mid Cap Equity | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	6,330	[1]		6,069	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Mid Cap Equity | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Mid Cap Equity | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Small Cap Equity
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	5,444	[1]		4,982	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Small Cap Equity | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	5,444	[1]		4,982	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Small Cap Equity | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | U.S. Small Cap Equity | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	4,970	[1]		4,758	[1]
Actively Managed | Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	4,970	[1]		4,758	[1]
Actively Managed | Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | Non-U.S. Large Cap Equity | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | REIT
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	5,369	[1]		5,069	[1]
Actively Managed | REIT | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Actively Managed | REIT | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	5,369	[1]		5,069	[1]
Actively Managed | REIT | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[1]		0	[1]
Fixed Income
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	37,039	[2]		36,435	[2]
Fixed Income | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0	[2]		0	[2]
Fixed Income | Significant Observable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	37,039	[2]		36,435	[2]
Fixed Income | Significant Unobservable Inputs
Plan Assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$0	[2]		$0	[2]
[1]	Actively managed portfolio of securities with the goal to exceed the stated benchmark performance.
[2]	Actively managed portfolio of fixed income securities with the goal to exceed the Barclays 1-5 Year Government/Credit, Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit, and Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock Fixed Rate.

Segment_and_Nonregulated_Busin2

Segment and Nonregulated Business Reporting (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2014
	subsidiaries
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Subsidiaries	4
Operating revenue	$62,112		$54,596
Operating expense	49,307		48,542
Operating income (loss)	12,805		6,054
Net income (loss)	4,695		906
Depreciation and amortization	10,159		9,485
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	5,652		4,870
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	2,794		561
Assets	1,277,821		1,123,935		1,269,304
Water Utility Services | Regulated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	58,887		51,626
Operating expense	46,922		46,463
Operating income (loss)	11,965		5,163
Net income (loss)	4,701		903
Depreciation and amortization	9,679		8,977
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	4,830		4,081
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	2,818		552
Assets	1,188,389		1,027,073
Water Utility Services | Non-tariffed
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	1,447		1,228
Operating expense	962		872
Operating income (loss)	485		356
Net income (loss)	218		151
Depreciation and amortization	90		90
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	0		0
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	182		124
Assets	18,668		16,965
Real Estate Services | Non-tariffed
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	1,778		1,742
Operating expense	1,024		1,022
Operating income (loss)	754		720
Net income (loss)	260		204
Depreciation and amortization	390		418
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	255		237
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	145		153
Assets	66,053		70,710
All Other | Non-tariffed
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	0	[1]	0	[1]
Operating expense	399	[1]	185	[1]
Operating income (loss)	-399	[1]	-185	[1]
Net income (loss)	-484	[1]	-352	[1]
Depreciation and amortization	0	[1]	0	[1]
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	567	[1]	552	[1]
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	-351	[1]	-268	[1]
Assets	4,711	[1]	9,187	[1]
SJW Corp. | Regulated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	58,887		51,626
Operating expense	46,922		46,463
Operating income (loss)	11,965		5,163
Net income (loss)	4,701		903
Depreciation and amortization	9,679		8,977
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	4,830		4,081
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	2,818		552
Assets	1,188,389		1,027,073
SJW Corp. | Non-tariffed
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	3,225		2,970
Operating expense	2,385		2,079
Operating income (loss)	840		891
Net income (loss)	-6		3
Depreciation and amortization	480		508
Senior note, mortgage and other interest expense	822		789
Income tax expense (benefit) in net income	-24		9
Assets	$89,432		$96,862
[1]	The bAll Otherb category includes the accounts of SJW Corp. on a stand-alone basis

Fair_Value_Measurement_Details

Fair Value Measurement (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$384,802	$384,949
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Investment in California Water Service Group	6,352	6,378
Significant Observable Inputs
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt, fair value	$489,650	$460,171

Regulatory_Rate_Filings_Detail

Regulatory Rate Filings (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 27, 2015	Mar. 26, 2015	Jan. 05, 2015
Regulatory Liabilities [Line Items]
Authorized Regulatory Surcharge, Gross	$1,876
Regulatory Rate Filings, Requested Rate Increase, Year One			34,928
Regulatory Rate Filings, Requested Rate Increase as Percentage of Total Revenue at Time of Request, Year One			12.22%
Regulatory Rate Filings, Requested Rate Increase, Year Two			9,954
Regulatory Rate Filings, Proposed Rate Increase, Percent of Authorized Revenue, Year Two			3.11%
Regulatory Rate Filings, Requested Rate Increase, Year Three			17,567
Regulatory Rate Filings, Requested Rate Increase, Percent of Authorized Revenue, Year Three			5.36%
Balancing Account, Recovery Request			4,752
Memorandum Account, Recovery Request		$9,567	$976

Balancing_and_Memorandum_Accou2

Balancing and Memorandum Account Recovery Procedures (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 27, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 26, 2015	Jan. 05, 2015
Memorandum Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		($1,377)	($1,896)
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		423	197
Refunds (Collections)		165	0
Ending Balance		-789	-1,699
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		48,438	9,585
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		1,144	-607
Refunds (Collections)		-3,224	0
Ending Balance		46,358	8,978
Balancing and Memorandum Account [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		47,061	7,689
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		1,567	-410
Refunds (Collections)		-3,059	0
Ending Balance		45,569	7,279
Authorized Regulatory Surcharge, Gross	1,876
Net under-collected balancing and memorandum accounts		8,115
Memorandum Account, Recovery Request				9,567	976
Water supply balancing accounts
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		890	-2,378
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		-12	-394
Refunds (Collections)		-53	0
Ending Balance		825	-2,772
Pension balancing account
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,412	9,734
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		-606	31
Refunds (Collections)		-383	0
Ending Balance		423	9,765
Balancing and memorandum accounts, net
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		44,400	0
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		1,876	0
Refunds (Collections)		-2,759	0
Ending Balance		43,517	0
Other, net
Balancing Accounts [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,736	2,229
Revenue Increase(Reduction)		-114	-244
Refunds (Collections)		-29	0
Ending Balance		$1,593	$1,985

Regulatory_Assets_and_Liabilit2

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Net Regulatory Assets	$173,445	$174,863
Less: current regulatory asset, net	15,996	16,853
Net regulatory assets, less current portion	157,449	158,010
Income tax temporary differences, net
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Regulatory assets:	6,731	6,731
Postretirement pensions and other medical benefits
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Regulatory assets:	115,494	115,494
Balancing and memorandum accounts, net
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Regulatory assets:	45,569	47,061
Other, net
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Regulatory assets:	$5,651	$5,577