In the dication of the title compound, C(16)H(20)N(4) (2+)·C(10)H(4)O(8) (2-)·H(2)O, the dihedral angles formed by mean planes of the imidazolium rings and the benzene ring are 69.05 (18) and 89.1 (2)°. In the crystal, the components are linked into a three-dimensional network by inter-molecular N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.