Segment information (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | segment	4
Revenue	$ 17,103,317	$ 20,725,721
Cost of revenue	10,976,807	12,285,400
Gross profit	6,126,510	8,440,321
General and administrative expenses (including purchases from related parties of $4,429 in 2021)	4,764,486	4,695,309
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	248,933	220
Income from operations	1,113,091	3,744,792
Other expense, net	314,608	27,261
Income before income taxes	1,427,699	3,772,053
Benefit for income taxes	(2,660)	206,083
Net income from continuing operations	1,430,359	3,565,970
Income from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interests	128,793	360,998
Net income from continuing operations attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	1,301,566	3,204,972
Net income from discontinued operations	(312,794)	(316,365)
Net income attributable to Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. stockholders	988,772	2,888,607
Accounts receivable, net	24,688,432		$ 21,483,976
Inventory, current and non-current	6,760,759		7,721,020
Property, plant and equipment, net	56,084,332		57,687,984
Construction in progress	600,021		440,384
Intangibles, net	3,949,166		4,148,333
Goodwill	13,325,013		13,325,013
Total segment assets	157,230,612		156,877,964
Assets of discontinued operations	22,543,823		22,677,588
Total assets	179,774,435		179,555,552
Retail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	5,711,305	7,257,432
Cost of revenue	2,707,994	2,986,620
Gross profit	3,003,311	4,270,812
General and administrative expenses (including purchases from related parties of $4,429 in 2021)	3,371,010	3,373,839
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	250,000
Income from operations	(617,699)	896,973
Accounts receivable, net	2,439,024		2,444,455
Inventory, current and non-current	2,785,083		2,787,163
Property, plant and equipment, net	27,188,029		27,947,545
Construction in progress	436,445		305,110
Goodwill	1,170,511		1,170,511
Total segment assets	61,657,813		56,425,159
Bulk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	6,245,970	6,440,284
Cost of revenue	4,155,153	4,564,580
Gross profit	2,090,817	1,875,704
General and administrative expenses (including purchases from related parties of $4,429 in 2021)	377,503	292,046
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	(1,500)	(200)
Income from operations	1,714,814	1,583,858
Accounts receivable, net	19,731,117		17,022,813
Inventory, current and non-current	3,632,537		3,795,544
Property, plant and equipment, net	26,730,578		27,611,567
Construction in progress	60,040		31,737
Goodwill	1,948,875		1,948,875
Total segment assets	69,722,252		74,771,798
Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	3,540,846	3,114,813
Cost of revenue	2,721,928	2,273,520
Gross profit	818,918	841,293
General and administrative expenses (including purchases from related parties of $4,429 in 2021)	722,020	672,690
Gain on asset dispositions and impairments, net	433	420
Income from operations	96,465	168,183
Accounts receivable, net	1,546,559		1,420,609
Property, plant and equipment, net	563,155		487,973
Intangibles, net	3,031,388		3,200,555
Goodwill	5,320,416		5,320,416
Total segment assets	15,216,541		14,470,322
Manufacturing Units [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	1,605,196	3,913,192
Cost of revenue	1,391,732	2,460,680
Gross profit	213,464	1,452,512
General and administrative expenses (including purchases from related parties of $4,429 in 2021)	293,953	356,734
Income from operations	(80,489)	$ 1,095,778
Accounts receivable, net	971,732		596,099
Inventory, current and non-current	343,139		1,138,313
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,602,570		1,640,899
Construction in progress	103,536		103,537
Intangibles, net	917,778		947,778
Goodwill	4,885,211		4,885,211
Total segment assets	$ 10,634,006		$ 11,210,685