COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Litigation with Chester Water Authority [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Litigation with Chester Water Authority [Member]	Oct. 31, 1997 Artesian Water [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Artesian Water [Member] gal	Dec. 31, 2011 Artesian Water [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 Artesian Water [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Artesian Water [Member] Agreement One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Artesian Water [Member] Agreement One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Artesian Water [Member] Agreement One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 Artesian Resources [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Artesian Wastewater [Member] acre	Dec. 31, 2012 Artesian Wastewater [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Artesian Wastewater [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Artesian Water Maryland [Member] Agreement
Leases [Abstract]
Operating lease period						33 years
Rental payments										$ 15,700	$ 15,400	$ 15,300		$ 41,700	$ 41,000	$ 40,000
Adjustment Factor														2.00%
Easement agreement period													40 years
Easement payments	33,000	32,000	31,000
Area of land use as per perpetual agreement (in acres)														460
Minimum rentals payment per year														40,000
Termination Period														180 days
Summary of minimum annual rental payments related to operating leases [Abstract]
2014	71,000
2015	51,000
2016	53,000
2017	54,000
2018	55,000
2019 through 2043	1,590,000
Total	1,874,000
Interconnections [Abstract]
Multiplier to estimate minimum purchase requirements for the year							3,000,000
Minimum purchase requirements of water							1,459,000,000
Minimum reduced purchase requirements of water							1,095,000,000
Summary of minimum annual purchase commitments for all interconnection agreements [Abstract]
2014	3,780,000
2015	3,780,000
2016	3,791,000
2017	3,780,000
2018	3,780,000
2019 through 2021	11,352,000
Total	30,263,000
Expenses for purchased water	4,000,000	4,000,000	3,800,000
Other Commitments [Abstract]
Agreement period							3 years	2 years	6 years
Commitment amount							804,000	623,000	1,900,000
Tank painting expense	377,000	403,000	344,000
Number of agreements with Utility Service Co																	2
Summary of other commitment [Abstract]
2014							1,490,000
2015							1,430,000
2016							705,000
2017							1,055,000
2018							1,055,000
Total							5,735,000
Litigation [Abstract]
Accrued expenses	$ 3,710,000	$ 3,430,000		$ 2,600,000	$ 1,800,000