Segment information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues	$ 16,569,380	$ 16,230,779	$ 33,124,577	$ 32,959,506
Cost of revenues	10,171,859	10,825,369	20,506,549	21,606,247
Gross profit	6,397,521	5,405,410	12,618,028	11,353,259
General and administrative expenses	3,594,762	3,442,283	7,163,698	6,956,968
Income (loss) from operations	2,802,759	1,963,127	5,454,330	4,396,291
Other income (expense), net	212,479	117,500	1,424,595	117,368
Consolidated net income	3,015,238	2,080,627	6,878,925	4,513,659
Income attributable to non-controlling interests	161,388	123,135	283,072	213,501
Net income attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	2,853,850	1,957,492	6,595,853	4,300,158
Property, plant and equipment, net	57,581,143		57,581,143		58,993,406
Construction in progress	3,603,878		3,603,878		2,612,800
Goodwill	3,499,037		3,499,037		3,499,037
Investment in land	12,025,566		12,025,566		0
Total assets	164,289,263		164,289,263		150,449,086
Retail [Member]
Revenues	6,179,597	5,869,254	12,574,609	12,435,382
Cost of revenues	2,870,175	2,885,657	5,704,927	5,928,405
Gross profit	3,309,422	2,983,597	6,869,682	6,506,977
General and administrative expenses	2,679,249	2,686,295	5,310,759	5,482,462
Income (loss) from operations	630,173	297,302	1,558,923	1,024,515
Property, plant and equipment, net	23,501,493		23,501,493		24,021,301
Construction in progress	3,531,949		3,531,949		2,342,248
Goodwill	1,170,511		1,170,511		1,170,511
Investment in land	0		0
Total assets	61,739,717		61,739,717		63,649,696
Bulk [Member]
Revenues	10,162,572	10,212,669	20,019,262	20,281,886
Cost of revenues	7,047,346	7,868,487	14,234,759	15,523,939
Gross profit	3,115,226	2,344,182	5,784,503	4,757,947
General and administrative expenses	354,961	309,364	763,208	636,764
Income (loss) from operations	2,760,265	2,034,818	5,021,295	4,121,183
Property, plant and equipment, net	33,484,674		33,484,674		34,308,805
Construction in progress	19,678		19,678		270,552
Goodwill	2,328,526		2,328,526		2,328,526
Investment in land	0		0
Total assets	87,631,435		87,631,435		83,177,550
Services [Member]
Revenues	227,211	148,856	530,706	242,238
Cost of revenues	254,338	71,225	566,863	153,903
Gross profit	(27,127)	77,631	(36,157)	88,335
General and administrative expenses	560,552	446,624	1,089,731	837,742
Income (loss) from operations	(587,679)	(368,993)	(1,125,888)	(749,407)
Property, plant and equipment, net	594,976		594,976		663,300
Construction in progress	52,251		52,251		0
Goodwill	0		0		0
Investment in land	12,025,566		12,025,566
Total assets	$ 14,918,111		$ 14,918,111		$ 3,621,840