CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 4,516,088	$ 11,703,961
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of certificate of deposit	0	(5,637,538)
Maturity of certificate of deposit	5,637,538	5,000,000
Additions to property, plant and equipment and construction in progress	(2,569,066)	(2,498,275)
Proceeds from sale of equipment	547,332	10,160
Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired	(7,742,853)	0
Collections on loans receivable	1,370,142	1,284,191
Release/(restriction) of cash balance	398,744	(42,715)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,358,163)	(1,884,177)
Cash flows from financing activities
Dividends paid to CWCO common shareholders	(3,322,793)	(3,312,050)
Dividends paid to non-controlling interests	(182,663)	(183,372)
Dividends paid to CWCO preferred shareholders	(9,151)	(8,944)
Repurchase of redeemable preferred stock	(9,599)	(2,960)
Proceeds received from exercise of stock options	174,853	244,368
Issuance of note payable to related party	490,000	0
Repayments of demand loan payable	(7,000,000)	(1,500,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(9,859,353)	(4,762,958)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	806	(4,390)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(7,700,622)	5,052,436
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	44,792,734	35,713,689
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	37,092,112	40,766,125
Interest paid in cash	67,689	113,244
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Dividends declared but not paid	1,114,083	1,109,248
Transfers from (to) inventory to (from) property, plant and equipment and construction in progress	134,362	114,733
Transfers from construction in progress to property, plant and equipment	1,787,580	1,606,314
Common Stock [Member]
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of common stock and redeemable preferred stock for services rendered	106,415	0
Redeemable Preferred Stock [Member]
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Issuance of common stock and redeemable preferred stock for services rendered	111,410	110,703
Conversion (on a one-to-one basis) of 11,558 and 7,195, respectively, shares of redeemable preferred stock to common stock	$ 6,935	$ 4,317