Segment information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 14,485,669	$ 16,931,832	$ 29,151,781	$ 33,280,442
Cost of revenues	8,617,727	10,561,786	17,228,914	20,939,971
Gross profit (loss)	5,867,942	6,370,046	11,922,867	12,340,471
General and administrative expenses	3,564,222	3,781,161	7,363,811	9,123,794
Income (loss) from operations	2,303,720	2,588,885	4,559,056	3,216,677
Other income (expense), net	28,195	317,653	(191,362)	467,883
Net Income	2,331,915	2,906,538	4,367,694	3,684,560
Income attributable to non-controlling interests	103,815	146,845	218,333	269,958
Net income attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	2,228,100	2,759,693	4,149,361	3,414,602
Accounts receivable, net	9,143,006		9,143,006		$ 11,773,744
Property plant and equipment, net	55,221,505		55,221,505		56,396,988
Construction in progress	1,677,824		1,677,824		1,900,016
Goodwill	3,499,037		3,499,037		3,499,037
Land held for development	20,558,424		20,558,424		20,558,424
Total assets	160,058,755		160,058,755		160,459,831
Retail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	6,152,185	6,499,257	12,287,823	12,612,218
Cost of revenues	2,771,598	3,119,483	5,648,386	6,050,859
Gross profit (loss)	3,380,587	3,379,774	6,639,437	6,561,359
General and administrative expenses	2,636,525	2,843,293	5,441,563	5,731,520
Income (loss) from operations	744,062	536,481	1,197,874	829,839
Accounts receivable, net	2,388,539		2,388,539		2,521,008
Property plant and equipment, net	26,031,989		26,031,989		26,978,259
Construction in progress	1,361,970		1,361,970		902,656
Goodwill	1,170,511		1,170,511		1,170,511
Land held for development	0		0		0
Total assets	48,057,146		48,057,146		52,051,461
Bulk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	8,187,273	9,966,194	16,569,589	19,925,930
Cost of revenues	5,633,381	6,895,914	11,082,893	14,007,459
Gross profit (loss)	2,553,892	3,070,280	5,486,696	5,918,471
General and administrative expenses	412,465	325,403	829,829	760,373
Income (loss) from operations	2,141,427	2,744,877	4,656,867	5,158,098
Accounts receivable, net	6,142,053		6,142,053		8,399,999
Property plant and equipment, net	29,061,184		29,061,184		29,318,534
Construction in progress	315,854		315,854		997,360
Goodwill	2,328,526		2,328,526		2,328,526
Land held for development	0		0		0
Total assets	88,429,778		88,429,778		84,331,227
Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	146,211	466,381	294,369	742,294
Cost of revenues	212,748	546,389	497,635	881,653
Gross profit (loss)	(66,537)	(80,008)	(203,266)	(139,359)
General and administrative expenses	515,232	612,465	1,092,419	2,631,901
Income (loss) from operations	(581,769)	$ (692,473)	(1,295,685)	$ (2,771,260)
Accounts receivable, net	612,414		612,414		852,737
Property plant and equipment, net	128,332		128,332		100,195
Construction in progress	0		0		0
Goodwill	0		0		0
Land held for development	20,558,424		20,558,424		20,558,424
Total assets	$ 23,571,831		$ 23,571,831		$ 24,077,143