Segment information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Feb. 11, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 14,385,353	$ 14,605,649	$ 43,818,760	$ 43,757,430
Cost of revenues	8,466,030	8,963,906	25,130,027	26,002,091
Gross profit (loss)	5,919,323	5,641,743	18,688,733	17,755,339
General and administrative expenses	4,528,679	3,487,967	13,925,439	11,042,507
Impairment loss on long-lived assets	2,000,000	0	2,000,000	0
Impairment of goodwill	1,750,000	0	1,750,000	0
Income (loss) from operations	(2,359,356)	2,153,776	1,013,294	6,712,832
Other income (expense), net	(762,696)	(302,603)	45,698	(493,965)
Loss before income taxes	(3,122,052)	1,851,173	1,058,992	6,218,867
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(146,198)	0	(389,860)	0
Net loss	(2,975,854)	1,851,173	1,448,852	6,218,867
Loss attributable to non-controlling interests	(1,110,522)	75,673	(944,790)	294,006
Net income (loss) attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	(1,865,332)	1,775,500	2,393,642	5,924,861
Accounts receivable, net	15,099,235		15,099,235			$ 9,529,016
Property plant and equipment, net	52,742,944		52,742,944			53,743,170
Construction in progress	1,810,710		1,810,710			1,928,610
Intangibles, net	5,594,560		5,594,560			771,811
Goodwill	9,784,248		9,784,248		$ 8,035,211	3,499,037
Land held for development	20,558,424		20,558,424			20,558,424
Total assets	163,289,523		163,289,523			161,575,026
Retail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	5,447,200	5,828,288	17,710,271	18,116,111
Cost of revenues	2,464,841	2,640,458	7,779,831	8,065,019
Gross profit (loss)	2,982,359	3,187,830	9,930,440	10,051,092
General and administrative expenses	2,811,262	2,728,473	8,588,529	8,360,765
Impairment loss on long-lived assets	2,000,000		2,000,000
Impairment of goodwill	0		0
Income (loss) from operations	(1,828,903)	459,357	(658,089)	1,690,327
Accounts receivable, net	2,479,251		2,479,251			2,261,141
Property plant and equipment, net	23,844,950		23,844,950			25,204,226
Construction in progress	1,545,294		1,545,294			1,860,050
Intangibles, net	0		0			0
Goodwill	1,170,511		1,170,511			1,170,511
Land held for development	0		0			0
Total assets	55,710,082		55,710,082			54,561,577
Bulk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	7,429,732	7,919,920	22,136,086	24,489,509
Cost of revenues	4,922,162	5,661,247	14,345,747	16,777,236
Gross profit (loss)	2,507,570	2,258,673	7,790,339	7,712,273
General and administrative expenses	425,000	357,995	1,302,884	1,187,824
Impairment loss on long-lived assets	0		0
Impairment of goodwill	0		0
Income (loss) from operations	2,082,570	1,900,678	6,487,455	6,524,449
Accounts receivable, net	11,704,695		11,704,695			6,231,626
Property plant and equipment, net	26,775,210		26,775,210			28,421,906
Construction in progress	257,557		257,557			68,560
Intangibles, net	616,508		616,508			666,152
Goodwill	2,328,526		2,328,526			2,328,526
Land held for development	0		0			0
Total assets	68,433,012		68,433,012			83,284,439
Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	1,508,421	857,441	3,972,403	1,151,810
Cost of revenues	1,079,027	662,201	3,004,449	1,159,836
Gross profit (loss)	429,394	195,240	967,954	(8,026)
General and administrative expenses	1,292,417	401,499	4,034,026	1,493,918
Impairment loss on long-lived assets	0		0
Impairment of goodwill	1,750,000		1,750,000
Income (loss) from operations	(2,613,023)	$ (206,259)	(4,816,072)	$ (1,501,944)
Accounts receivable, net	915,289		915,289			1,036,249
Property plant and equipment, net	2,122,784		2,122,784			117,038
Construction in progress	7,859		7,859			0
Intangibles, net	4,978,052		4,978,052			105,659
Goodwill	6,285,211		6,285,211			0
Land held for development	20,558,424		20,558,424			20,558,424
Total assets	$ 39,146,429		$ 39,146,429			$ 23,729,010