SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]

Schedule of Utility Plant

Utility plant comprises:
In thousands
			December 31,
	Estimated Useful Life (In Years)		2020		2019
Utility plant at original cost
Utility plant in service-Water
Intangible plant		—	$	140	$	140
Source of supply plant		45-85		23,940		22,611
Pumping and water treatment plant		8-62		100,317		90,795
Transmission and distribution plant
Mains		81		293,643		277,125
Services		39		49,937		48,190
Storage tanks		76		29,946		27,968
Meters		26		27,994		27,498
Hydrants		60		15,895		15,071
General plant		5-31		62,379		61,512
Utility plant in service-Wastewater
Intangible plant		—		116		—
Treatment and disposal plant		21-81		41,860		19,315
Collection mains & lift stations		81		32,133		19,348
General plant		5-31		1,545		1,223
Property held for future use		—		5,711		24,632
Construction work in progress		—		21,474		31,881
				707,030		667,309
Less – accumulated depreciation				147,469		136,588
			$	559,561	$	530,721

Amortization Period of Other Regulatory Expense

Regulatory expenses amortized on a straight-line basis are noted below:

Expense	Years Amortized
Rate case studies	5
Delaware rate proceedings	2.5
Maryland rate proceedings	5
Debt related costs	15 to 30 (based on term of related debt)
Goodwill (resulting from acquisition of Mountain Hill Water Company in 2008)	50
Deferred acquisition costs (resulting from purchase of water assets in Cecil County, Maryland in 2011 and Port Deposit, Maryland in 2010)	20
Franchise Costs (resulting from purchase of water assets in Cecil County, Maryland in 2011)	80

Regulatory Assets, Net of Amortization, Comprise

Regulatory assets, net of amortization, comprise:

(in thousands)	December 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Deferred income taxes	$	370	$	386
Expense of rate case studies and other		46		78
Debt related costs		5,233		5,556
Goodwill		281		288
Deferred acquisition and franchise costs		543		583
	$	6,473	$	6,891

Other Deferred Assets, Net of Amortization

Other deferred assets at December 31, net of amortization, comprise:

In thousands	2020		2019
Investment in CoBank	$	4,374	$	3,968
Goodwill		623		—
Other		312		289
	$	5,309	$	4,257

Regulatory Liabilities

Regulatory liabilities comprise:
	(in thousands)
	December 31, 2020		December 31, 2019
Utility plant retirement cost obligation	$	126	$	247
Deferred income taxes (related to TCJA)		21,555		21,999
	$	21,681	$	22,246

Changes in Accounts Receivable

	December 31,
In thousands	2020		2019
Customer accounts receivable – water	$	6,707	$	5,574
Customer accounts receivable – wastewater		1,717		209
Miscellaneous accounts receivable		699		402
CIAC receivable		1,901		992
		11,024		7,177
Less allowance for doubtful accounts		862		264
Net accounts receivable	$	10,162	$	6,913

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The activities in the allowance for doubtful accounts are as follows:

	December 31,
In thousands	2020			2019
Beginning balance	$	264		$	232
Allowance adjustments		754			198
Recoveries		13			34
Write off of uncollectible accounts		(169	)		(200	)
Ending balance	$	862		$	264