General	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
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 2013 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. Basic earnings per share is calculated using income available to common shareholders, divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. The two-class method in computing basic earnings per share is not used because the number of participating securities as defined in Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) Topic 260 - “Earning Per Share” is not significant. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating security. 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 stock options, deferred restricted common stock awards under SJW Corp.'s Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Incentive Plan”) and shares potentially issuable under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, 449 and 346 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, 2014 and 2013, the amounts allocated to administrative and general expense were $396 and $384, respectively.

General

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

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 2013 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.

Basic earnings per share is calculated using income available to common shareholders, divided by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. The two-class method in computing basic earnings per share is not used because the number of participating securities as defined in Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification (ASC) Topic 260 - “Earning Per Share” is not significant. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating security. 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 stock options, deferred restricted common stock awards under SJW Corp.'s Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Incentive Plan”) and shares potentially issuable under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). For the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, 449 and 346 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, 2014 and 2013, the amounts allocated to administrative and general expense were $396 and $384, respectively.