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Accounting policies - Additional Information (Details) gal in Millions		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 24, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) gal	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 24, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 11, 2016 USD ($)
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax [Abstract]
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax				$ 35,352	$ 8,089
Cash, Uninsured Amount				6,500,000
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Goodwill				13,325,013	8,004,597
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill, Noncurrent				$ 0	379,651
Equity Method Investment, Additional Information				The Company uses the equity method of accounting for investments in common stock where the Company holds 20% to 50% of the voting stock of the investee and has significant influence over its operating and financial policies but does not meet the criteria for consolidation.
Criteria for recognising investment at cost				Investments where the Company does not exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the investee and holds less than 20% of the voting stock are recorded at cost.
Accumulated Amortization of Other Deferred Costs				$ 2,400,000	2,200,000
Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value				13,362,649	9,419,179
Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Held In Foreign Bank				36,000,000
Contracts in progress
Amortization of Other Deferred Charges				$ 179,353	179,353
Number of days after consumption billings are considered past due				45 days
Amount required to reduce the amount of water lost by the public water distribution system \| gal				438
CW Belize [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill, Noncurrent					$ 380,000
Minimum [Member]
Contracts in progress
Number of days after consumption billings are collected				30 days
Maximum [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Percentage Of Bad Debts				1.00%	1.00%
Contracts in progress
Number of days after consumption billings are collected				35 days
Aerex Industries Inc [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired	49.00%							51.00%
Manufacturing reporting units	$ 8,500,000
Impairment of goodwill		$ 1,400,000	$ 1,750,000
Goodwill		$ 4,885,211	$ 6,285,211					$ 8,035,211
PERC Water Corporation
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired						51.00%	51.00%
Goodwill							$ 5,320,416
Certificates of Deposit [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value				$ 12,700,000	$ 8,400,000
Bahamas [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Deposits held in foreign bank				$ 7,400,000
Retail [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Estimated Fair Value Carrying Amount Exceeded Percentage				74.00%	79.00%
Goodwill				$ 1,170,511	$ 1,170,511
Bulk [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Estimated Fair Value Carrying Amount Exceeded Percentage				58.00%	62.00%
Goodwill				$ 1,948,875	$ 1,948,875
Capitalized Engineering Labor and Materials Cost [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Other Assets				3,500,000	$ 3,500,000
Manufacturing Units [Member]
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Estimated Fair Value Carrying Amount Exceeded Percentage					53.00%
Goodwill				$ 4,885,211	$ 4,885,211