SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]

Schedule of Utility Plant

Utility plant comprises:
In thousands
			December 31,
	Estimated Useful Life (In Years)		2021		2020
Utility plant at original cost
Utility plant in service-Water
Intangible plant		—	$	140	$	140
Source of supply plant		45-85		25,045		23,940
Pumping and water treatment plant		8-62		109,087		100,317
Transmission and distribution plant
Mains		81		320,767		293,643
Services		39		53,210		49,937
Storage tanks		76		29,972		29,946
Meters		26		28,778		27,994
Hydrants		60		16,789		15,895
General plant		5-31		62,604		62,379
Utility plant in service-Wastewater
Intangible plant		—		116		116
Treatment and disposal plant		21-81		43,725		41,860
Collection mains & lift stations		81		33,901		32,133
General plant		5-31		1,665		1,545
Property held for future use		—		5,536		5,711
Construction work in progress		—		18,481		21,474
				749,816		707,030
Less – accumulated depreciation				159,385		147,469
			$	590,431	$	559,561

Amortization Period of Other Regulatory Expense

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

Expense	Years Amortized
Deferred contract costs and other	5
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, 2021		December 31, 2020
Deferred income taxes	$	355	$	370
Deferred contract costs and other		288		46
Debt related costs		4,902		5,233
Goodwill		273		281
Deferred acquisition and franchise costs		503		543
	$	6,321	$	6,473

Other Deferred Assets, Net of Amortization

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

In thousands	2021			2020
Investment in CoBank		$	4,850		$	4,374
Other deferred assets/goodwill			247			935
		$	5,097		$	5,309

Regulatory Liabilities

Regulatory liabilities comprise:
	(in thousands)
	December 31, 2021		December 31, 2020
Utility plant retirement cost obligation	$	149	$	126
Deferred income taxes (related to TCJA)		21,111		21,555
	$	21,260	$	21,681

Changes in Accounts Receivable

	December 31,
In thousands	2021		2020
Customer accounts receivable – water	$	5,986	$	6,707
Customer accounts receivable – wastewater		1,326		1,717
Miscellaneous accounts receivable		698		699
Developer receivable		1,282		1,901
		9,292		11,024
Less allowance for doubtful accounts		429		862
Net accounts receivable	$	8,863	$	10,162

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

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

	December 31,
In thousands	2021			2020
Beginning balance	$	862		$	264
Allowance adjustments		(236	)		754
Recoveries		25			13
Write off of uncollectible accounts		(222	)		(169	)
Ending balance	$	429		$	862