NORTHERN SUSSEX REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING COMPLEX, LLC	12 Months Ended
NORTHERN SUSSEX REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING COMPLEX, LLC	Dec. 31, 2011
NORTHERN SUSSEX REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING COMPLEX, LLC [Abstract]
NORTHERN SUSSEX REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING COMPLEX, LLC	NOTE 11 NORTHERN SUSSEX REGIONAL WATER RECYCLING COMPLEX, LLC On August 6, 2010, Artesian Resources, on behalf of itself and all applicable subsidiaries, signed a Conclusion and Termination Agreement, or Termination Agreement, with Darin A. Lockwood, on behalf of himself and all applicable business entities in which he has an interest, or Lockwood, including without limitation the NSRWRC, a business entity owned by Lockwood, pursuant to which all contracts and agreements with Lockwood and NSRWRC were cancelled except as set forth below. The Termination Agreement supersedes and terminates all contracts and agreements previously existing between the parties, including the cancellation of the Wastewater Services Agreement between Artesian Utility and NSRWRC for the design, construction and operation of the Northern Sussex Regional Water Recycling Complex, a wastewater treatment facility to be located in Sussex County, Delaware. Artesian Wastewater will manage the design and construction of the facility going forward and, once constructed, the operation of the facility. Other contracts cancelled by the Termination Agreement include a sublease agreement for office space, an asset purchase agreement and a consulting agreement. Any other contracts or business relationships between Artesian Resources and Lockwood not specifically noted were also cancelled with no additional compensation paid to either party. Pursuant to the Termination Agreement, Lockwood received a final net settlement payment of $800,000 including deposit. In addition, on August 6, 2010, Artesian Resources and Lockwood entered into a confidentiality agreement and covenant not to compete. Pursuant to the Termination Agreement, Artesian Wastewater purchased the 75-acre parcel of land, purchased by Lockwood on July 1, 2008, for the operation of the wastewater facility known as the Northern Sussex Regional Water Recharge Complex and entered into a Water and Wastewater Easement Agreement that provides Artesian Wastewater right of way to a portion of land adjacent to the 75-acre parcel of land. The Company purchased the land (with a carrying value of $5.2 million) and all engineering and design work (with a carrying value of $2.7 million) by paying off the $7.9 million remaining balance of the NSRWRC’s construction loan with a financial institution secured by the 75-acre parcel that was previously guaranteed by the Company. There is no other security pledged for the 75-acre parcel of land. No gain was recognized as a result of the Termination Agreement since the assets were purchased at their carrying cost on NSRWRC’s balance sheet and the loan concurrently repaid equaled the carrying value of the assets at the date of the Termination Agreement. As a result of the Termination Agreement, effective August 6, 2010, NSRWRC was deconsolidated from the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company is no longer the primary beneficiary of NSRWRC and NSRWRC no longer constitutes a VIE, as defined by FASB ASC Topic 810. See Note 2 – Basis of Presentation. The deconsolidation of NSRWRC resulted in the reclassification of the facility from non-utility property to utility plant on our Consolidated Balance Sheet.