Dispositions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Dispositions [Abstract]
Dispositions	Note 4 Dispositions In July 2011, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with Connecticut Water Service, Inc. to sell its regulated water operations in Maine for cash of approximately $35,800 at closing plus certain assumed liabilities, including debt of approximately $17,500. The purchase price is subject to certain adjustments at closing. This subsidiary is included in the Regulated segment, and as of June 30, 2011, the carrying amount of Maine's assets and liabilities were $57,340 and $39,501, respectively. The Company's Maine operations serve approximately 16,000 customers. The sale is conditioned, among other things, on the receipt of regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. In the third quarter, the Company will recognize additional income tax expense of approximately $5,000 for the additional deferred tax liabilities that arise from the difference between the stock and tax basis of the Company's investment in its Aqua Maine subsidiary. The completion of this transaction will conclude the Company's operations in Maine. In July 2011, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with American Water to sell its regulated water operations in New York for cash of approximately $42,000 at closing plus certain assumed liabilities, including debt of approximately $23,000. This subsidiary is included in the Regulated segment, and as of June 30, 2011, the carrying amount of New York's assets and liabilities were $105,801 and $63,905, respectively. In the third quarter, the Company will recognize additional income tax expense of approximately $2,500 for the additional deferred tax liabilities that arise from the difference between the stock and tax basis of the Company's investment in its Aqua New York subsidiary. The Company's New York operations serve approximately 51,000 customers. The purchase price is subject to certain adjustments at closing, and closing is conditioned upon the closing of the Company's acquisition of American Water's regulated water and wastewater operations in Ohio, and is subject to applicable regulatory approvals. The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. The completion of this transaction will conclude the Company's operations in New York. Based on an assessment of the sale prices and the carrying values of the Company's planned dispositions of its Maine and New York operations, there is no anticipated impairment expected to be recognized as a result of the sale agreements. In June 2011, the Company sold a water and wastewater utility system for net proceeds of $4,106. The sale resulted in the recognition of a gain on the sale, net of expenses, of $1,580 in the second quarter of 2011, and is reported in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income as a reduction to operations and maintenance expense. As of June 30, 2011, an additional amount of contingent gain has been deferred pending the final regulatory treatment afforded to such item. In May 2011, the Company sold its regulated water and wastewater operations in Missouri for net proceeds of $3,225. This sale of the Company's Missouri operations concluded the bulk of our regulated utility operations in Missouri. In January 2011, the Company sold a water and wastewater utility system in Texas for net proceeds of $3,118. The sale resulted in the recognition of a gain on the sale of these assets, net of expenses, of $2,452. The gain is reported in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income as a reduction to operations and maintenance expense. The City of Fort Wayne, Indiana (the "City") has authorized the acquisition by eminent domain of the northern portion of the utility system of one of the operating subsidiaries that the Company acquired in connection with the AquaSource acquisition in 2003. In 2008, the Company reached a settlement with the City to transition the northern portion of the system in 2008 upon receipt of the City's initial valuation payment of $16,911. The settlement agreement specifically stated that the final valuation of the northern portion of the Company's system will be determined through a continuation of the legal proceedings that were filed challenging the City's valuation. On February 12, 2008, the Company turned over the northern portion of the system to the City upon receipt of the initial valuation payment. The proceeds received by the Company are in excess of the book value of the assets relinquished. No gain has been recognized due to the contingency over the final valuation of the assets. Once the contingency is resolved and the asset valuation is finalized, through the finalization of the litigation between the Company and the City of Fort Wayne, the amounts deferred will be recognized in the Company's consolidated income statement. On March 16, 2009, oral argument was held on certain procedural aspects with respect to the valuation evidence that may be presented and whether the Company is entitled to a jury trial. On October 12, 2010, the Wells County Indiana Circuit Court ruled that the Company is not entitled to a jury trial, and that the Wells County judge should review the City of Fort Wayne Board of Public Works' assessment based upon a "capricious, arbitrary or an abuse of discretion" standard. The Company disagreed with the Court's decision and as such on November 11, 2010, requested that the Wells County Indiana Circuit Court certify those issues for an interim appeal. The Wells County Indiana Circuit Court granted that request and on March 7, 2011, the Indiana Court of Appeals granted the Company's request to review the decision of those issues on appeal. On July 6, 2011, the Company filed its appeal with the Indiana Court of Appeals. Depending upon the outcome of all of the legal proceeding the Company may be required to refund a portion of the initial valuation payment, or may receive additional proceeds. The northern portion of the utility system relinquished represents approximately 0.4% of the Company's total assets.

Note 4 Dispositions

In July 2011, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with Connecticut Water Service, Inc. to sell its regulated water operations in Maine for cash of approximately $35,800 at closing plus certain assumed liabilities, including debt of approximately $17,500. The purchase price is subject to certain adjustments at closing. This subsidiary is included in the Regulated segment, and as of June 30, 2011, the carrying amount of Maine's assets and liabilities were $57,340 and $39,501, respectively. The Company's Maine operations serve approximately 16,000 customers. The sale is conditioned, among other things, on the receipt of regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. In the third quarter, the Company will recognize additional income tax expense of approximately $5,000 for the additional deferred tax liabilities that arise from the difference between the stock and tax basis of the Company's investment in its Aqua Maine subsidiary. The completion of this transaction will conclude the Company's operations in Maine.

In July 2011, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with American Water to sell its regulated water operations in New York for cash of approximately $42,000 at closing plus certain assumed liabilities, including debt of approximately $23,000. This subsidiary is included in the Regulated segment, and as of June 30, 2011, the carrying amount of New York's assets and liabilities were $105,801 and $63,905, respectively. In the third quarter, the Company will recognize additional income tax expense of approximately $2,500 for the additional deferred tax liabilities that arise from the difference between the stock and tax basis of the Company's investment in its Aqua New York subsidiary. The Company's New York operations serve approximately 51,000 customers. The purchase price is subject to certain adjustments at closing, and closing is conditioned upon the closing of the Company's acquisition of American Water's regulated water and wastewater operations in Ohio, and is subject to applicable regulatory approvals. The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2012. The completion of this transaction will conclude the Company's operations in New York.

Based on an assessment of the sale prices and the carrying values of the Company's planned dispositions of its Maine and New York operations, there is no anticipated impairment expected to be recognized as a result of the sale agreements.

In June 2011, the Company sold a water and wastewater utility system for net proceeds of $4,106. The sale resulted in the recognition of a gain on the sale, net of expenses, of $1,580 in the second quarter of 2011, and is reported in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income as a reduction to operations and maintenance expense. As of June 30, 2011, an additional amount of contingent gain has been deferred pending the final regulatory treatment afforded to such item.

In May 2011, the Company sold its regulated water and wastewater operations in Missouri for net proceeds of $3,225. This sale of the Company's Missouri operations concluded the bulk of our regulated utility operations in Missouri.

In January 2011, the Company sold a water and wastewater utility system in Texas for net proceeds of $3,118. The sale resulted in the recognition of a gain on the sale of these assets, net of expenses, of $2,452. The gain is reported in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income as a reduction to operations and maintenance expense.

The City of Fort Wayne, Indiana (the "City") has authorized the acquisition by eminent domain of the northern portion of the utility system of one of the operating subsidiaries that the Company acquired in connection with the AquaSource acquisition in 2003. In 2008, the Company reached a settlement with the City to transition the northern portion of the system in 2008 upon receipt of the City's initial valuation payment of $16,911. The settlement agreement specifically stated that the final valuation of the northern portion of the Company's system will be determined through a continuation of the legal proceedings that were filed challenging the City's valuation. On February 12, 2008, the Company turned over the northern portion of the system to the City upon receipt of the initial valuation payment. The proceeds received by the Company are in excess of the book value of the assets relinquished. No gain has been recognized due to the contingency over the final valuation of the assets. Once the contingency is resolved and the asset valuation is finalized, through the finalization of the litigation between the Company and the City of Fort Wayne, the amounts deferred will be recognized in the Company's consolidated income statement. On March 16, 2009, oral argument was held on certain procedural aspects with respect to the valuation evidence that may be presented and whether the Company is entitled to a jury trial. On October 12, 2010, the Wells County Indiana Circuit Court ruled that the Company is not entitled to a jury trial, and that the Wells County judge should review the City of Fort Wayne Board of Public Works' assessment based upon a "capricious, arbitrary or an abuse of discretion" standard. The Company disagreed with the Court's decision and as such on November 11, 2010, requested that the Wells County Indiana Circuit Court certify those issues for an interim appeal. The Wells County Indiana Circuit Court granted that request and on March 7, 2011, the Indiana Court of Appeals granted the Company's request to review the decision of those issues on appeal. On July 6, 2011, the Company filed its appeal with the Indiana Court of Appeals. Depending upon the outcome of all of the legal proceeding the Company may be required to refund a portion of the initial valuation payment, or may receive additional proceeds. The northern portion of the utility system relinquished represents approximately 0.4% of the Company's total assets.